Assassination of Memories
by White Wing Alchemist
Summary: Sequel to Dormant Angel.After FW before MAX. Shadows just wants an easy life,away from all of the lies of the Organization.When Tranq's most powerful ability slips in public it sets of a chain of events leading to Shadows' past.58B's past...T:gore/death
1. Prologue Part I: Death In Shadow

Assassination of Memories  
Prologue Part I-Death In Shadow

The night scene flew past the window of the black Mercedes as Mr and Mrs Tarantino drove back to their estate after their night out together. Rain collided into the windshield; the thunder roared outside, lightning flashed, illumining the mountain side. "Maybe seeing a murder play wasn't the best idea." Mrs Tarantino said rubbing her arms with her dark hands. Her dark honey coloured eyes held fright as her mind started playing scenes in her head.

Mr. Tarantino smiled at his wife, "Don't worry darling, nothing like that is going to happen." His jade green eyes returned to the road ahead. "Are you sure, what about the children?" Mrs Tarantino shakily said twisting her finger in her wavy chocolate brown hair like a child. Mr Tarantino waved his hand, his blond moustache practically twitching with his grin. "The guards are on duty Sarah. Nothing wrong is going to happen." He promised in his deep voice. He hadn't told her that rumours were going 'round that he was possibly the next target for one of the assassins from the Organization, and telling her now wouldn't be smart. "Maybe your right." Mrs Tarantino sighed looking out her window. Another flash of lighting lit the road like day light; Mrs Tarantino gasped flinching back from the window.

"Sarah?"

"I though I saw…Never mind." She decided better than to say anything. The girl had been there only for as long as the lightning flashed; now she was gone. Even though she had been there for a second her inhuman blue eyes had been etched in Mrs Tarantino's mind with an angry glare. Mrs Tarantino shook her head trying to tell herself that she was seeing things.

As the car passed by a Vectrix superbike, made its way surprisingly silently after the Mercedes, its rider pressed closely to the bike. Bike and rider dressed in black made them virtually invisible until the mountain flared with lightning, though both disappearing by the tree line when light was present. Unnoticing to the follower the Mercedes drove onto another path bumping slightly over the dirt road towards the house hidden in the mountain side.

From a cliff cave above four figures watched the car pull down the road one took out a walkie talkie the static making the entire group wince. "Alright their pulling up to the house, anything odd going on?" Through the static the guard on the other end answered, "Nothing yet. Y'know maybe your wrong; maybe Shadows won't strike tonight, maybe we've got the wrong person or maybe even the wrong place." The guard's voice had a clear Irish accent.

"That's a lot of maybes, and only one defiant. And that is that Mr Tarantino is Shadows' target."

"I guess your right…"

"You guess? Who said that the Whispers were talking to him?"

As the two bickered none of the group noticed the Vectrix that went quickly up the road like a ghost keeping the Mercedes in sight. The large mansion loomed ahead, in the guard tower the main guard waved to the couple in the car, not aware of the motorbike that stopped fifteen feet away. The gate slowly opened, Mr Tarantino drove onto his real drive way, the gate creaking closed though not fast enough to lock out a black blur that darted in, disappearing into the shadows of the high wall courtyard. The couple got out, Mr Tarantino took a deep breath of the night air chuckling. "See, everything is completely normal." He said smiling over to his wife who got out of the car.

She smiled weakly, rushing to the out-door corridor of the old medieval like building towards the big wooden main doors. Even inside some of the house was open; with Oahu's weather they could get away with it without the place becoming freezing. Tarantino walked towards his children's room, the hall opening up to another courtyard to his left. The crickets played their tune and the sound of bats flying just above the house could be heard by all ears.

"Mr. Tarantino Sir!" a guard cried jogging over. "Ah you must be the new one, what can I do for you?" Tarantino asked cheerfully. "Sir ye do know that _he_is after you, don't you?" the guard said slightly out breath with an Irish accent. Tarantino just smiled, "Your just as panicky as my wife, don't worry about it. Shadows can never come within a hundred feet from here without us knowing." He left whistling along the way.

The guard shook his head; Tarantino had too much self confidence for his own good. The guard turned on his heel almost stepping on a black cat in front of him. The guard jumped back as the cat hissed angrily at him darting into the closed off corridor. _'Great,'_ the guard thought, _'a black cat just crossed my path. Somethin' bad is going to happen.' _

_#*#*#*#**#*#*#*_

Tarantino chuckled to himself as he walked in through the closed corridors of his home feeling pathetic he had gotten lost in his own house. As he made his way to his youngest son's room he passed by the music room. He stopped at the same time as music started to play. Someone was playing the piano. Then a hypnotic voice floated out into the hallway singing.

"_Playground school bell rings, again _  
_Rain clouds come to play, again..__," _Tarantino turned out of curiosity creeping towards the door to the music room. He pressed his ear near the crack of the door listening.

"_Has no one told you she not breathing?  
Hello, I'm your mind giving you someone to talk to  
Hello," _Tarantino opened the door to the music room, the light from the door way pouring into the room , the shadows becoming more sharper and hiding as much as they could. The last note played rang through the air though from the door way Tarantino could see the piano that was in the right corner with no one there. The keys faced away from him and if he had been actually paying attention he might have seen the pair of feet that were slightly visible from the intended hole in the piano's structure. The man shook his head telling himself that he was hearing things and turned to leave when the piano started playing again.

"_If I smile and don't… believe  
Soon I know I'll wake from this dream  
Don't try to fix me I'm not broken  
Hello, I'm the lie living for you so you can hide  
Don't cry,"_The large buff man turned back towards the piano which a pair of sheet white hands played, their owner hidden in shadow. The intruder stopped singing though kept playing, a pair of violet cat-like eyes appeared above and behind the hands flashing with a dangerous flicker. The door behind Bronx Tarantino slammed shut locking. He quickly turned using all his weight and strength to open it.

It wouldn't budge.

"Damn it! Who are you!?" He snapped turning back towards the stranger. They stopped playing in the silence Tarantino was deeply submerged in his sinking feeling turning back to the door still struggled to get the door open.

"Curiosity killed the cat." The stranger said in an unemotional tone.

Tarantino froze. That saying, it couldn't be possible. By the sound of the voice she was just a young girl, maybe the same age as his oldest daughter, but _that line_. The figure moved so quickly Tarantino had no chance to even flinching. She kicked him away from the door standing at full height, a flash of lightning showing her features for one second. She was quiet tall for her age which seemed around fourteen or maybe even fifteen with the palest skin Tarantino had ever seen. Her spiked and jagged dark hair was cut short adding to her boyish look. She donned a pair of dark boots with black jeans and a done up black long coat that went down to the top of her army styled boots, the collar of the coat going up past where her ears should have been. A dark tail swished behind her, the ears on top of her head were angled forward to where Tarantino laid staring up at her in horror.

No, it couldn't bee possible, on the same day that his wife was worried that something was going to happen, the same day where the new guard had mentioned that Tarantino was a target, the same day of the anniversary of his brother's death… He had to act quickly, it couldn't happen _tonight_. Tarantino quickly pulled out his gun firing at the girl; she leapt sideways, the bullet grazing her shoulder. She shot forward ripping the gun away from him with a hiss, jumping on top of a file cabinet. He turned around making sure that his back wasn't turned to her. She was so fast, living up to the name. Her violet eyes stared down at him like a cat watching an insect. In attempt to save himself Tarantino whipped out his two way radio backing away from the girl. The static made her pupils to become slits with a snarl she dived towards the man.

"Somebody help, Sh─" Tarantino screamed as she bit down on the radio and his hand, and with a loud **SNAP **his hand broke, the radio sparking as she crushed it too. Tarantino knocked her off of him collapsing against the wall holding his hand. She was back on him in seconds, pining his arms to the floor, a gun barrel pressed against his forehead. She gave him a few moments, for experience she knew that some people would want a moment to pray. "Th-this can't be possible," Tarantino stuttered. "The g-great Organization assassin Panther Shadows is a… _girl?_!" he spat the last word out.

"Curiosity killed the cat." Shadows repeated pulling the trigger blood splattering across her impassive face.

* * *

"Late _again_." The boy sighed hanging his head. Hidden in shadow only Tarantino's legs were visible, blood pooling underneath his body. The younger boy looked at the body in disgust feeling like he was going to be sick. "I knew somethin' was going to happen when the cat ran across my path. I shoulda stuck with 'im." The Irish guard said glumly. "It wasn't the cat's fault, how many times do I have to tell you there's no suck thing as bad luck?" The young boy hissed angrily. "Okay you two calm down." A girl scolded not looking at the dead man. "So 'bout this Shadows character…" The guard said not really informed about the same person his friend –practically brother– was after. "Panther Shadows, a top notch assassin that appeared two months ago, he's already killed more than eighty people, flawlessly and without a trace. Except for a questionable paper flower at every scene." The older boy turned to the blood red paper flower on the desk to the left just a little ways away from the body. "How did anyone find out his name?" the guard asked.

"Someone was stupid enough to go after him, had a cell phone and caught Shadows meeting up with an ally a mile outside of the location. Of course Shadows killed him before the guy could give anymore information apart from the name. Then a kid caught Shadows' line as he starts playing with his prey then just before he kills them: 'curiosity killed the cat'." The boy answered back. "Shadows kills everyone who as a bad connection to the Organization, did you know two of Tarantino's four kids are actually subjects?"

"Every time we're either too late or we corner him and he still get's away. It should have been impossible for Shadows to escape this time, there's no way out." The girl said stepping forward, sweeping the room with her eyes skipping the body.

"No there is. There." The younger boy said pointing to a window just above the desk, the group instantly having their doubts. It was 1½ feet high and 2 feet wide, no one was going to fit through that. "Even I can't fit through that window, how the heck is a young man going to?" the older boy said. "Shadows could be a woman you know!" the girl snapped. "Well even if Shadows was, no one and I mean _no one_ is going to fit through there." The boy retorted. The younger boy walked up to the window standing up on the desk. "What are you doing, you're going to leave you prints all over the scene!" the girl hissed. "Ya well if you have forgotten I have no file whatsoever in the Outside, so they can't blame me." The boy stood on his tip toes to look through the window.

"Hey there's a hair here! Never mind it's just a cat hair." The kid grumbled holding the strand of black hair in his had. They all stood in silence the Irish guard thinking he had an idea how Shadows could get out of that way but didn't really have an explanation.

Outside of the building the black cat looked around making sure no one was going to step on it again, it darted towards the wall, and just a couple feet away from it jumped, landing on top of the 19 foot tall wall. Turning the cat saw the bunch of guards running towards the music room, and couldn't help but smirk. The cat morphed into a figure that jumped down to the other side of the wall running over to the Vectrix motorbike. It rode away, the long coat flapping in the wind.

_#*#*#*#**#*#*#*_

"Isn't she wonderful!?" the Director said smiling at the Whitecoats that had come to see if Shadows was indeed real. Standing in front of them she looked more monstrous than wonderful with the blood splattered across her white face like a stain on a white shirt. Some of the blood was already dripping down her face as it had started to rain just as Shadows had gotten to the Organization. "Silently done job, and done quickly too, Shadows is our ultimate weapon. Don't you think?" The Director glanced over to his prized possession.

"Sir there still is some fault with the subject." The Director whirled his head glaring at Dr. Aly. The doctor pushed his glasses back to the bridge of his nose; he was a short, scrawny man with short bleach white hair and faded brown eyes. "Bronx Tarantino was able to graze it─" "_Her_." The Director corrected with a hiss. "With a shot and was still able to cry for help." Dr. Aly finished with a flinch from the Director's expression. Shadows' eyes darted from the Director to the doctor and in a flash the Dr. Aly was pinned to the wall the barrel of her gun pressed firmly against his head. She always had an angry kind of expression on her face making her more of a demon than an angel, her inhuman electric blue eyes narrowed at the doctor. His eyes crossed, trying to see the gun he was facing, and he saw _Zephyr _engraved on each side of the pistol in the font like French Script on Microsoft Word.

"_Zephyr_?"

"Yes, together Shadows and _Zephyr_are unstoppable. Since Shadows moves faster than your average human the gun has been specially made so it won't shoot too late." The Director said in monotone. The two other Whitecoats stood in horror to see a gun being pointed to Dr. Aly by Panther Shadows. "You better watch what you do; unlike the fool Artemis she will kill you if you are a threat to me." The Director said and snapped his fingers. Shadows let the doctor down slowly returning to the Director's side. "She is smarter than any of our subjects and the only one that I trust to terminate our biggest threats. Shadows you may return to your room." The Director said.

With a swift nod she left quietly the door sliding open with a _whoosh _and closing behind her. Shadows drifted through the corridors of the Organization until she came to her room. It also slid to the side revealing the plain large room she had. The whole room was grey, with no windows or any other doors than the one that locked from the outside behind Shadows. Against the wall to her right was a large metal double bed with uncomfortable mattress and thin pillow and blanket. A round table with four chairs was in the middle of the room, and a little over in the corner was a toilet with a screen for privacy.

It wasn't much, though Shadows had acquired an easel with large pieces of paper, pencils and erasers. Different abstract pictures were scattered around the place, on the easel was an incomplete picture of a bird in flight. Shadows quickly went over to the bed kneeling down to get underneath it. She crawled back out, in her hands two books, one large heavy hardcover the colour of red dirt and a smaller hardcover pocket book. Shadows sat down on her bed laying the pocket book aside, opening the bigger one on her lap.

She would never forget this author who wrote this book in a quick frenzy, the words scribbled on thick line pieces of paper glued to an old book. CL Dare Son Air, a normal child that had been sent here because none of CL's had the time to watch over the kid so they sent CL to their uncle's friend.

"Father lied to me…" Shadows said, her voice echoing through her room. The page she was last on showed proof:

_This place even has assassins, people or even miserable subjects that kill innocent people without a thought. Most of these people aren't even a threat to the Organization, wait correction, none of them are. One person isn't going to affect very much for the world wide moving Organization, since the location get's lost. The Director sends off these subjects, some not even noticing their killing _without _a purpose. _

_

* * *

_

_Swallowed up in the sound of my screaming  
Cannot cease for the fear  
of silent nights  
Oh how I long for the deep sleep dreaming  
The goddess of imaginary light_

_In my field of paper flowers  
And candy clouds of lullaby  
I lie inside myself for hours  
And watch my purple sky fly over me_

_I linger in the doorway  
Of alarm clock screaming  
Monsters calling my name  
Let me stay  
Where the wind will whisper to me  
Where the raindrops as they're falling tell a story_

_If you need to leave the world you live in  
Lay your head down and stay a while  
Though you may not remember dreaming  
Something waits for you to breathe again_

_In my field of paper flowers  
And candy clouds of lullaby  
I lie inside myself for hours  
And watch my purple sky fly over me_

_**Evanescence  
Imaginary  
**_


	2. Prologue Part II: Riot At Hell’s Gates

**Assassination of Memories  
Prologue Part II- Riot At Hell's Gates  
(A/N: when something belongs to Shadows just say her name not the weird sounding thing [example pronunciation: Shadowses], same thing with Artemis)**

Shadows gave an irritated sigh looking at her watch. 3:24am; it was going to be a long wait for midnight to come. Everything was ready, but she hadn't been given a job today, no one was going to die at her hands. Even if she was given a job she'd tell her target to hole themselves up for the rest of their lives, she wasn't going to have blood on her hands anymore. All pictures she had made were now gone, stuffed underneath the mattress in rage, the only one left was the one of _that boy_. She couldn't give him any facial features, when ever she tried it didn't seem to be right, so Shadows had shaded the face where his hair didn't fall in his face. He had been in all her dreams, though would disappear when she saw him.

'_Don't I have at least _one _job? Or has Father figured out what I'm going to do?'_ Shadows thought lying down on her bed. She couldn't come out until her door unlocked, then she could go around this level, to the mess hall, Father's room, the sports room, the Yard and the shooting range. Dinner was at 3:30, for the newborns it would be early but Shadows was already use to it. Most of the guys would be at the Yard right now, Shadows, for the first time in her life wished the psychopath lesbian Artemis would come to talk to her. Shadows was bored to say the least, at least at the Yard she could punch in some of the damn Copies' faces in.

Shadows brought up the map from CL's book. With her photographic memory Shadows knew all the levels of the Organization, all 70 escape routes. Yes, 70 escape exits, how the hell did none of the subjects Shadows just learned about not get out that way!? Though just escaping didn't seem right; Shadows felt like she should do something more. Even through the eight inch thick steel door Shadows could hear footsteps coming to her room. They were too heavy to be Artemis yet too light to be Copies. From sound alone Shadows figured a middle aged man? The door opened silently for normal humans but for Shadows the whispered _whoosh_ was the signal she could leave her room before meals.

The smell of an East Indian male reached Shadows' nose, she could faintly smell after shave. Shadows cranked her head to see the stranger that smelled like spice who was standing at the door. His dark eyes glared at Shadows, dark hands in the pockets of his lab coat. His dark brown beard went down to his chest; his darker hair cut chin length. He was quite short maybe the same height as Shadows. She gave the Whitecoat a bored expression like nothing he said mattered. That's the only expressions Shadows had: bored, narrowed or rolled eyes and a smirk. She never really smiled, Shadows face was a mask that was impossible to read.

The Whitecoat spoke in a language Shadows did not know the name of but she understood. _"You're wanted." _Shadows jumped off the bed following the man quietly behind. Every couple moments he would glance over his shoulder to make sure Shadows was following him, every time she would look just above his head. As long as she didn't focus on his face for too long Shadows would save herself from a painful Flash; every Whitecoat was like that, painful information.

In the direction the pair was going was a faded scent of blood; Shadows flared her nostrils to catch more of the smell. _'Blood and Copies,'_ Shadows thought, _'What the hell are those damn dogs doing?' _They turned right into a hallway and Shadows knew right away they were going to the Yard by the smell of dogs and the two double doors at the end of the hall. The doctor opened both doors, orange sunset light falling on Shadows' face.

The Yard was used for Copies or Erasers as their most well known, a place for them to cool down by playing soccer, football or poker, lifting weights and sometimes sparing. Shadows and Artemis were the only non-Eraser females there since all the male Erasers sexually harassed the new female Erasers the Organization made. Usually it was –to some extent–peaceful, usually.

_Not today_.

The Erasers were fighting amongst themselves and I don't mean yelling. I mean beating the _living shit_ out of each other. Some of them were dead; most of them were bleeding though not going to die this evening. Shadows looked to the left as the outside Yard breeze blew a familiar scent over. Artemis the Maniac was sitting up on the pole that the meal buzzer hung from, smiling down at the scene below her with a crazed look in her almost black eyes. She loved death and killing in any shape or form though torture was her favourite pat time.

Wordlessly the Whitecoat handed Shadows a rifle. _Zephyr_ was made to be as silent as possible; there was no way in hell that Shadows would get their attention with her handgun. Shadows loaded the rifle cocking it making the gun do the _ch-chk_ it was famous –or infamous– for. Some Erasers stopped fighting at the sound their eyes widening at the sight of a rifle and Panther Shadows in the same freaking bundle. The ear-splitting gun shot cut through all noise a bird flying above fell into the electric mesh 20 ft up, the lifeless body being shocked with 500 watts of electricity. Artemis frowned when the fighting stopped however her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree when she saw Shadows.

The Whitecoat cleared his throat speaking the best English he could. "You must stop all of this pathetic fight among yourselves; the Director does not take kindly to having fights this large." He said in a thick Indian accent. He continued, "You must not present yourselves as idiots, the Organization has almost figured out how to remake the robots made previously by Itex and if you keep acting like this I guarantee you'll all be terminated. Transform back to your human forms, you will give bad impressions to those who seek you." With that said he left, the few Eraser half or fully morphed went back to looking like male supermodels.

'_Their all children.'_ Shadows thought in disappointment. The Eraser started going back to, somewhat, normal activities, Shadows moved away from the door lying down on the grass 10 feet from the tether ball court. Father didn't like big fights so maybe if she made some noise when she escaped…

"Waz up?" Artemis' voice broke Shadows out of a runaway train of thought. She gazed up to see Artemis kneeling behind Shadows' head, Artemis' face above Shadows' face. Her long shoulder length red hair hung down and she gave Shadows a smile leaning closer. Shadows put her hand in Artemis' face to feel Artemis had puckered her lips slightly.

Artemis' eyes flew open, "What the hell!?" she mumbled into Shadows' hand. Shadows rammed her hand up making the lesbian fall on her butt. "Come on, what's wrong with you?" Artemis whined like a two-year-old. Shadows rolled her eyes, _'You're just itching to kiss a girl.'_

Artemis sighed plopping down to lie beside Shadows. "So guess who got the fight started?" Artemis asked. The assassin gave the psycho a bored look to say 'do I look like I care?' "Mmm huh, me that's who," Artemis pointed at herself with her thumb. "Just had to get them worked up that's all." Artemis folded her hands behind her head staring up at the sky, a victory smile on her face. _'Ya that sounds like_ _you. If you didn't do it on a regular basis I would know something was wrong.'_ Shadows thought staring blankly up at the sky. The clouds were tinged pinkish orange, the sky ablaze with oranges, purples and reds. This was the last day she would spend here; Shadows could remember when she had first come to the Organization like it was a week ago.

_****Start of Flashback****_

_The girl stared around her room with curiosity written all over her face. Beside her Father came up giving the girl a genuine smile. "What do you think? Better than sleeping in rubble, right?" he laughed. _

_She blinked at him nodding slowly. His voice was perfect, feeling like velvet to her ears, very different from the deep rough voices she was used to. Father turned rolling to the door, "Once the buzzer goes off your door will unlock, go to the smell of food. Stay away from the elevator and stay in you room until the buzzer goes off or someone comes to get you, okay sweetheart?" _

_Sweetheart, Rinslet had called her that and Angelia. She nodded and Father began to leave. He had told her to hold her tongue but she couldn't help but ask. "Father what is my name?" she called. She doubted that it was the number around her neck she hid behind her shirt and even though Rinslet called her Angelia she didn't like it. _

"_Shadows," Father said glancing over his shoulder, "Panther Shadows." _

_****End of Flashback****_

"Hellooo, Earth to Shadows! Hey buddy can ya hear me in that big smart head of yours?" Artemis banged her fist on Shadows' head. With one swift movement Shadows was off the ground and punched Artemis in the face. The crazy girl fell back for the second time that day holding her nose. "Jeez don't have to punch me! You were muttering something." She said her voice slightly muffled.

"**HEADS!"**

The hard ball hit Shadows square in the back of the head, knocking her over. The tether ball rolled aside Shadows face down in the dirt. All noise stopped and the Yard became deadly quiet, the Erasers from the tether ball court becoming frozen. From a window above the Director looked out to see why it had become suddenly quiet. He was quite angry to see that one of the idiots of Erasers had knocked his precious Shadows down.

Back down at the Yard Shadows didn't move a muscle. She stayed where she was, looking very dead. Everyone held their breath in some ways hoping she _wouldn't _get up. "Who did that?" the cold voice said from the ground. The Erasers on the tether ball court pointed to the largest, he looked at them with horror in his eyes. Shadows slowly moved her hands so they were closer to her body levering herself up. Shadows stood, turning towards the group of Erasers behind her. The larger one's eyes were as round as dinner plates staring at her in fear. Though it was the fact she could have that blank of a face that scared him, that she had no emotion when she killed someone.

The gunshot rang through the air made everyone jump, the large Eraser falling to the ground. Right at his forehead was a perfect hole that started to bleed; some of the new Erasers jumped forward to rip the body apart at the smell of blood. The dinner buzzer went off at that moment the new Erasers grabbing their ears in pain. It was more a high pitch squeal than anything, only the Erasers, Shadows and Artemis included, could hear it. It had hurt Shadows' ears the first week but she got used to it right away. All the Erasers went to the mess hall parting for Shadows as she walked through the crowd.

'_Though I'll make an exception for these bastards.'_ She thought.

* * *

Shadows hated waiting. It was going to be at least ten minutes before she could get going from this hell hole. Underneath the bed was a dark messenger bag with her two books and change of clothes. Right now she wore a black cloak that covered her entire body, the over sized hood covering most of her face yet she could still see. She had a belt put on underneath, draping across her hip _Zephyr_ in the gun holster. Her now violet eyes calmly looked around the room to see if she wanted to take anything else. _'This is it, time to_ _live in the outside world.'_ Shadows thought. She had plainly told Artemis her plan before at dinner. "Ya sorry about that, I didn't know when to tell you. I'll leave something at your door before you go." Artemis had said. Artemis hated Father, Shadows knew that, and wondered what Artemis had left her.

A soft click made Shadows look over to the door and she smirked. The door only opened from the outside and would not unlock unless you opened the door. Well after a little tinkering in the controls room Shadows timed the door to unlock five minutes before midnight. Up in the control room no one noticed Shadows' door was unlocked, it didn't come up on the monitor.

Shadows grabbed the bag, slinging it across one shoulder, over the cloak. A pit was slowly growing in her stomach but she ignored it. After dinner Shadows had done some more work; around the lower levels of the Organization. She had found a highly explosive room, the boiler room and an escape route with trapped subjects along the way. Shadows stood near the door, waiting. She had to be precise with her timing, there were security cameras along the hallways though none in her room; if she didn't get this right, they would see her door open slightly then be closed without movement. On the table behind her was a paper flower beside the folder of her new mission. Shadows opened the door right when twelve hit, staring at the folder as the door closed.

**Kill Maximum Ride. **

Shadows tuned to see a small metal brief case leaning against the wall. She knelt down and put it in her bag, going to look at it when she was far from the Organization. She ran quietly, coming up to the hallway that went to the elevator. Shadows pressed herself against the wall checking the air to see if anyone was there. Two, maybe three Whitecoats and a few Erasers. She could hear the Whitecoats talking about some tests, the three Erasers that were by the elevator chatted about how they never got any action up here. _'For the night they must put them there to keep anyone from going down.'_ Shadows thought. _'This could put a speed bump in my escape.'_Well she was going to make some noise any way. She turned the corner walking towards the elevator. "You there, you're not supposed to be up here." A male Whitecoat said. There were three of them in a group near the wall, two Erasers on the sides of the elevator, one right in front of the door. "Who are you, how did you get up here?" The Whitecoat demanded.

"Curiosity killed the cat."

Before anyone could speak the Whitecoat was down followed with a silenced gunshot. Three birds with one stone as the life left all the Whitecoats' eyes. "The alarm!" One of the Erasers roared. Sooner than the Eraser could hit the small button near the door he was down with a shot however not going without a shriek. Erasers though seemed to follow anger more than logic; one of them could have pressed the alarm, and one could have gone after Shadows but seeing their fallen comrade they both charged at Shadows. She jumped forward, dealing out a round house kick on the first one, breaking his ribs. Another kick with the same foot was planted in the second Eraser's face, shoving the bones of his nose into his brain killing him even though it had less power than the first one. After the elevator had not come up when Shadows pressed the button and she heard it going down, she took a crowbar from an Eraser and pried the doors open. The elevator was quickly reseeding into darkness, being in good working condition. Shadows jumped landing with a faint _thud _on top of the elevator, opened the maintenance hatch, landing inside the elevator's cabin.

The elevator slowed to stop, dinging at arrival. The doors opened, a bunch of Whitecoats jumped back in surprise. "What the he─" the all feel and Shadows shot out, getting cries of surprise in return. "What in the name of Dracula the Great is going on here!?" The Director bellowed. "It's Shadows sir, she going on a rampage!" one Whitecoat said on the two way radio. "She's taking out everyone on level 6, and….MY LORD SHE'S LETTING OUT ALL THE SUBJECTS!" another Whitecoat shrilled.

More Whitecoats yelled things to the Director but with so many voices going at once, even the great Director couldn't pick up anything. **"ALL OF YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTHS AND ONE AT A TIME!" **the Director howled through a clenched jaw. He felt like he was teaching kindergartners, it was really pissing him off. Suddenly there was an explosion shaking the Organization to its core. "What the hell was that?!" The Director cried.

"Sir the boiler room just went." Someone said.

"Excuse me!?"

"Sir?" another Whitecoat said. "Well someone better be dying!" The Director snarled. The Whitecoat on the other end of the line, stood at the door of the room he was at, staring in horror at the thing in front of him. The bright red numbers counted down from what looked like three minutes.

"There's a ticking time bomb in the explosives room."

There was silence throughout the intercom system except the screams, roars, and shrieks of humans and subjects alike. "Oh…shit." The Director said.

Now back to havoc making Shadows; she was making it much, much harder for herself by going through all halls with subjects and blowing them free of their cages and experiments, when she could have just stuck with her before plan and gone straight down to where her Vectrix was. _'Okay I have to get out of here, I think I have plenty mayhem for one day.' _Shadows thought heading towards the second elevator. She needed the level below 1, the first level of the parking garage.

Shadows was like a ghost, looking like she wasn't touching the ground as she rushed through another hallway, with conference and staff rooms. Just ahead of her, a cart was wheeled by five Erasers, a boy inside of a complicated cage. With _Zephyr _ titled slightly Shadows pulled the trigger, the bullet destroying the supposed shatter proof glass. The Erasers snarled at her, Shadows snarling also jumped forward, kneeing one in the gut. He fell, another Eraser grabbed onto Shadow' shoulders. She grabbed his wrist with both hands, ripping him off and swinging the Eraser into two of his companions so he pinned the other two to the wall. The last one fell with one shot from _Zephyr_ and Shadows was off followed by the boy.

"Hey wait up! Who are you? Why did you help me?" the boy asked running beside Shadows. He had chin length dark auburn hair that was a rat's nest, and big hazel eyes that stared at Shadows in confusion, he was at least eight, maybe nine years old. His olive skin was slightly pale and his running was more stumbling but he kept up with Shadows any how. Shadows ignored him until he brushed slightly against her, "I'm coming with you." He said sincerely. Shadows glanced over to him, "You have to keep up." She said simply as more Erasers appeared from another hallway. Shadows lifted _Zephyr _to shoot them down when their own shadows completely devoured the Erasers. Shadows blinked, and the boy ran ahead of her, the elevator door opening up, the Whitecoats inside being sucked in by another shadow.

"Come on, what floor?" the boy called. Shadows jumped in quickly pressing the P1 button, just to have the elevator stop half-way between level 4 and 3. "What's happening?" the boy said looking at Shadows. "They stopped the elevator." She said plainly. Using _Zephyr_ to blow the maintenance hatch off Shadows climbed on top of the elevator. The boy followed her looking around. "How is this going to help?" he asked. Shadows got onto all fours, ripped the cover of the vent off and crawled inside. The boy followed her trying to figure out who the cloaked stranger was. _'She's weird, and she doesn't really answer my_ _questions.'_ He thought. "Alright just tell me this," he said grabbing onto her ankle to stop her. She looked at him, her pupils becoming slits. "Just tell me what your name is." He said.

"Shadows, Panther Shadows." She said jerking her leg away from the boy continuing on. "I don't really don't have a name, my cage said F38729956-20P." the boy smiled weakly. _'Great what a mouth full.'_ Shadows thought rolling her eyes.

"So um, how do we get out of here?" the boy asked. Shadows sniffed the air following the smell of gasoline to a vent that swooped down. "Erasers!" the boy cried accidentally pushing Shadows down head first into the descending vent. The smell and sound of Erasers was lost as the pair of escapees slid down the vent, the boy shouting all the way down. Clanging filled Shadows' ears cutting the boy off as she was beaten by the vent on the way down, hitting the bottom painfully when the vent suddenly straightened. The odd subject pushed Shadows to the opening of the vent, both of them landing in a heap underneath the vent opening.

"Oww, that's going to leave a mark." The boy moaned and sat up, rubbing his sore neck. Shadows pushed herself from lying to standing with her arms, looking around. She spotted the Vectrix quickly going over to it, the boy on her heals. "Nice bike." He commented. Shadows shrugged getting on, and flipping the kickstand up. The boy got on behind her, holding onto her shoulders as Shadows started the bike. It quietly hummed to life, the tires squealing under them as the bike griped the pavement lurching off. Shadows drove the bike to its maximum speed, an Eraser moved in the way to stop them. Realizing he wasn't going to be able to stop a stampede he ducked hoping Shadows would miss him.

The bike underwent a quick earthquake, a thud and snap coming from under the bike and the dark red trail the tires made as Shadows sped the Vectrix up after the road kill had slowed it down. The boy squeezed his eyes shut daring not to look behind him, his grip tightening so much Shadows thought he was going to break her shoulders. A speed bump catapulted the bike into the air, landing on the pavement outside, the wind a treat to both Shadows' and the boy's face. Shadows raced the bike as fast as it would go to get far away from the damn Organization. The bag whacked itself repeatedly on her side with CL's books being rattled around against the brief case.

Shadows didn't look back even when her explosion went off; whereas the boy stared back watching a fire start to build. He remembered when they had to suddenly leave the last Organization two days after those other subjects escaped. He remembered the girl had tried to get him out to no avail and he thought he would never get out after that. Suddenly the boy remembered his manners, "Hey Shadows thanks for rescuing me."

She didn't answer, at first. Then when he just started to doze off she spoke.

"Your welcome, _Tranq_."


	3. Orphan Family

**Assassination Of Memories  
Chapter I – Orphan Family**

_I do not, whatsoever own Maximum Ride or Pretender, I own everything you don't see in the MR books or the Pretender episodes. Thanks to my faithful Dygen Entreri for keeping up with me_

_**Warning: This fanfic deals with vampires, werewolves and demons but does not at all deal with Twilight or Buffy the Vampire Slayer**_

**Shadows' POV**

I bolted up right in bed panting, trying to instantly calm my racing heart. Damn not Rinslet again, I could see her smile so clearly and her…body. Damn Copies, damn Organization. Sweat dripped down my neck off my clammy face the sheets clinging to any of my bare skin. I sighed breathing deeply wondering when Rinslet would leave me alone. The curtains of my canopy bed blocked out all light but the clock that was on the headboard shelf read 4:25 and from the sound of even breathing a knew everyone was asleep. That would be different if Father hadn't taught me to keep my mouth shut after a bad dream.

Father, just the thought of him made me sick. I pushed the thick curtain aside wincing at the bright light. Living in the mountains during summer meant it being really bright even at four in the morning. I swung my legs over the edge of my bed standing up. I did my morning stretch the Bronze said reminded him of a cat waking up from a cat nap. I went into the bathroom splashing my face with cold water to walk me up and rid me of the nightmare I had. I looked at myself in the mirror giving a sigh. A girl stared back at me, as white as the top of the mountains in winter, her eyes a shocking electric blue. Her dark hair was short, jagged and spiky going along with her personality. She was wearing a pair of gray sweats and an overlarge red plaid shirt that made her look slightly shorter. If I ever wore baggy clothing people could easily mistake me for a guy, wearing all of Bronze's and some of Ethan's clothes helped with that. It was Jared's goal in life to make me look like a girl, so he bought me girly things. I hated all of them and 'convinced' Bronze to lend me the stuff that didn't fit him.

Most of this household is made out of children with only one adult (two if I consider Ethan an adult) running us. Jared is a Pretender, a guy who can read on how to do heart surgery in the morning and do a successful, safe operation in the afternoon. To make it short Jared's a genius who can become anyone he wants to be, though the people that brought him up want him back, like how the Organization wants Tranq and me back. The Centre though didn't have Copies like the Organization and they don't do research on recombining DNA or super humans. The Centre was like a mini me of the Organization, less dangerous than the Organization too. Ever so often Jared would run off so the Centre wouldn't find him with us, to keep us safe. And usually he'd bring someone back with him. I went back to my room looking around.

The house was the most countryish I have ever seen (the only thing I've really seen), my round bed was against one wall with a medium sized window by the roof. The door to the bathroom was on the wall to the left of my bed if you were sitting on it with your back against the headboard, on the same wall was two French doors that opened up to a balcony that had a view of the Barn and the stables. Just by the doors was a book shelf filled with books about the world and some fiction books. Across from my bed on the other wall was my desk with my computer and my dresser beside that. Another door led to the hallway and there was a closet on the same was as the door with an easel in the corner by my bed. I went to my closet, not even thinking of going in the dresser full of girl's clothes. In the really small stand-in closet was a smaller dresser and a bunch of random junk I had picked up when we first left the Organization. I knelt down by the dresser picking out my clothes for today. I put on a pair of jeans and a white short sleeved shirt that had different coloured paint splatters and stains on it. I grabbed my aviator glasses and black leather biker jacket putting both on. No one except my pieced together orphan family have seen my eyes since I left the Organization, those who had always stared at me. Pushing back the curtains so my bed was open I crawled over it to the shelf head board and grabbed _Zephyr_ which was still attached to the belt in the gun holster. I put the belt on, my jacket covering _Zephyr_ completely.

I opened my door silently came out, closing the door soundlessly behind me. The house had three levels, all bedrooms on the second floor with our special rooms above andthe regular house bellow. My door was right by the stairs with a half wall stopping me from falling down the stairs when I was still tired. I used my arm to support me as I went over the wall, landing on the stairs without even making them creak unlike everyone else in the house. I went down the stair where it dropped me off right by the door, the living room to the right, the kitchen and dinning room to my left. I entered into the large kitchen/eating area rubbing the last of sleep out of my eyes by moving my glasses slightly. We had a stove and oven, a lot of counter space, two large fridges, a island, two microwaves and so many cupboards I was surprised the walls was still standing. There were bar-stools aroundone side of the island, the sink on the island also. A large wooden table was at the end of the kitchen by the window with so many chairs there was at least five empty seats when we all ate there.

I grabbed a bowl and some cocoa Rice Krispies, using the last of the milk for my breakfast. I would have to get more since one bowl of cereal isn't enough for me; I have at least eight bowls. I sat at one of the bar-stoolseating slowly. It was about five minutes before anything happened, until I could hear the sound of someone trying to keep their breathing quiet and the smell of a human behind me.

"Don't even try it Tale." I hissed dangerously as the girl had opened her mouth right behind me. "Darn it, why can't I ever get you any more!?" Tale whined plopping down–or up in her case–in the bar-stool beside me. Tale was an eleven-year-old bundle of mischief with short chin length red hair that spiked at the bottom. She was the average height of an eleven-year-old with tanned skin and two differently coloured eyes, her left eye a light hazel and her right a faded green. She had been the second child Jared brought back with him just after he took Tranq and me in. Tale was wearing an orange tank top, her short jean overalls and in contrast to me she was wearing socks. I rolled my eyes, "You keep forgetting that my sense of smell and hearing is far better than yours Tale. That and you've done it to me so many times I know what your going to do." I said putting a spoon of cereal in my mouth. Tale pouted sticking her lower lip out hunching her shoulders. All of us in this house had something 'special' about us. Tale's special was quite annoying to say the least. I could almost see the light bulb go off above head when she smiled, jumping off the barstooland skipping off past Bronze who walked in wearing no top and a pair of light shorts since he was still in his pjs.

He was as old as me at age fifteen, with bleach blond hair that went past his chin. His bright red eyes shocked most people but for albinos that's normal. He was only a couple months older than me though a head shorter than me. "Thank God I'm up, I won't get an elephant or air horn in my ear." He said sitting beside me. I smiled shaking my head just as a –get this– heavy metal concert blared for a second up stairs. I winced at the noise feeling sorry for Tale's victim. "Well Rose and Dobry are up now." Bronze said smiling. There was banging on the stairs as people ran down it, Tale burst into the room a toothy grin on her face, followed by angry snaps from Rose and Dobry.

"I was sleeping Tale and it's four in the morning. Can't you just let us sleep?!" eight year old Dobry whined. His curly brown hair was starting to turn into an Afro since we found it impossible to cut it. Dobry's brown eyes were almost the same colour as his skin though slightly lighter. Rose stood behind him, her hand on her hips like she always did when she was mad. Her beautiful green eyes glared at Tale who was rolling around ground laughing silently. Her blond hair went a quarter way down her back; she was the real blond of the house. I couldn't tell whether or not Rose's pale brown skin was fake or not, she seemed too perfect to be a human and she wasn't a Dead-one that's for sure. Now I was sure Jared was trying to make me more like Rose, the girl who couldn't leave a mall without checking _all_ clothing stores. Thank God that this small town didn't have a huge mall, the reason why I never go to the city with Rose.

"Do you know how many hours of sleep it take to make me look like this? Ten!" Rose said flipping her hair. "The only thing is that she sleeps eight hours like the rest of us." Bronze said from the side of his mouth only so I could hear. I smirked at his comment. "I have to sleep ten hours just to make myself into a valley girl." Tale said imitating Rose's voice. That was Tale's special, she could imitate voices and sounds, thus the reason for metal concert upstairs. Usually she wakes us up with an air horn or an elephant trumpet in our ears. "I do not act like a valley girl." Rose said. She was only one year younger than Bronze and I but much less mature in my opinion. "Like _whatever_." Tale said as Rose. The fourteen-year-old stomped her foot running –scratch that, sort of pathetically speed walking with her hands pointed up swing at her sides.

"How can Tranq sleep through all that noise?" Neo said coming in passing Rose. He _looks _around six years old with black hair that is perfect, with perfect blue eyes and a perfect voice and perfect paler skin than mine. Neo was the only Dead-one among us; Jared had found him in Africa practically dying from heat stroke and the sun. In actual fact Neo was more passed a hundred years old, living when the great plague hit London. So being a Dead-one makes him a lot more mature than Jared, Ethan, Bronze and me combined and a hell lot smarter on his half. He didn't really like me, I didn't exactly get along with him either but at least I wasn't spitting out dishonourable things in Howling. More on that later.

Jared came in rubbing his eyes like a child even though he's around his mid or late twenties; I wasn't so sure since he didn't tell us his age. The man was quite tall with dark hair and soft dark eyes and a fatherly kind of smile. I liked his smell since it was something other than anesthetic which the whole Organization had reeked of, his smell on the other hand was a mixture between the leather jacket he always wore and cologne. The only really fatherly kind of person I've know is him, Father never did anything for me.

"Jared there's no more milk." Tale said looking in the fridge. Every head in the room turned to me, I looked behind me as if the were looking over there. "Shade!" Tale whined pouting at me using my nickname. "Hey I have to eat too." I said defensibly turning back to her. "But you don't have to eat that much." Tale crossed her arms. I rolled my eyes shovelling another spoonful of cereal in my mouth. "I'll get some more when I go out today." Ethan said almost falling over the still in the kitchen doorway. Ethan had been a Whitecoat assistant for the Organization but left because he was sick with having to take dead subjects to the disposal area. He was the second oldest at eighteen, with dirty blond hair that went to his ears and faded jade green eyes. All and all he was a normal guy except for his _natural _ability of being able to make people do what he wants whether they want to or not. Everyone, except for Tranq and I had natural abilities that others would say are physically impossible. Bronze could feel and changes others moods and Rose could manipulate radio signals and any other signals for that matter so we had satellite TV without having to pay for it. Dobry could talk to animals, in some ways that's a big one and Neo had a couple abilities since he is a Dead-one, the main thing he does is he can tell what you're thinking when he's sitting beside you, it gets really annoying.

"Well not as annoying as you." Neo muttered. I had noticed him sitting down beside me since he's sickening sweet scent is impossible to miss, but I had forgotten to put my mental block up. Thinking of a wall I was satisfied to see Neo scowl and leave to his room to get dressed. Everyone else left, leaving me by myself, I got off the bar-stool to streach my legs. I hated it that they didn't understand what _I_ went through, sure none of them had parents but they didn't live a _lie_ for most of their life. My empty blow flew off the table smashing into the wall shattering into pieces. Growling I stomped out of the room running to school even though it didn't start till eight o' clock.

* * *

_I've tried to kill the pain  
But only brought more  
(So much more)  
I lay dying and I'm pouring  
Crimson regret and betrayal_

_I'm dying (dying),  
Praying (praying),  
Bleeding (bleeding),  
And screaming  
Am I too lost to be saved?  
Am I too lost?_

_My God, my tourniquet  
Return to me salvation!  
My God, my tourniquet  
Return to me salvation!_

_Do you remember me?  
Lost for so long  
Will you be on the other side  
Or will you forget me?_

_I'm dying (dying),  
Praying (praying),  
Bleeding (bleeding),  
And screaming  
Am I too lost to be saved?  
Am I too lost?_

_My God, my tourniquet  
Return to me salvation!  
My God, my tourniquet  
Return to me salvation!_

_(Return to me salvation…)_

_(I want to die!)_

_My God, my tourniquet  
Return to me salvation!  
My God, my tourniquet  
Return to me salvation!_

_My wounds cry for the grave  
My soul cries, for deliverance  
Will I be denied?  
Christ, tourniquet, my suicide_

_(Return to me salvation…)_

_**Evanescence  
Tourniquet**_


	4. New Scent

**Assassination Of Memories  
Chapter II – New Scent**

_I am not a man, and my initials are not JP so therefore I do not own Maximum Ride and I'm not someone who works with TV shows so I do not own Pretender either_

Thank you _Dygen Entreri _and _DarkAngelDreams13 _for reviewing, you guys are awesome!

**A/N: Remember this takes place before **_**MAX **_**so my story is like an alternate universe **

White Wing: Oh whoppie flippin' do an alternate universe, how Star Trek…ish

Neofreak: Sorry we've tried to make this a xover but it keeps putting _Assassination Of Memories_on the Pretender side of FanFiction

* * *

**Shadows' POV**

Me and my family lived up in the mountains in a laid back little town that's so inconspicuous people from the city don't even know we're here. Tranq and I escaped the Organization at the end of February last year, and after a little accident Jared took us in and made me a somewhat more social person; translation: I don't kill people who piss me off anymore. I was surprised at first when Jared said it was wrong to shoot people, though he taught me better during a couple months of Jared Rehab.

There was only one school in Branklin that had the elementary and high school kids going to the same building. All around the school was forest, and around the back of the school was a really small thing that shouldn't even be called a golf course; I always hung out around the trees that were just at the edge of the school ground, usually high enough that someone would have to climb a ways before they saw me. I had about three hours to go now, and I was bored out of my mind. I _hate_ waiting for something to happen, especially when I have nothing to do.

I was sitting in a large fir tree, on leg dangle off my branch, my back leaning against the trunk gazing above the four story building to the sky. _If only, if only…_ I thought with a sigh. The wind blew up all the smells from the area to me in gentle waves. The crisp smell the mountains gave off was wonderful and I knew that I would never be able to live without this smell; it was a part of my life while the anesthetic haunted any smell faintly, reminding me the Organization was too, part of my life. Another smell told me I had a visitor.

"Is anyone I know up there?" Tranq called up. I looked down to see the nine-year-old beaming at me for at the base of the tree far below. "What are you doing up there it's not time for school yet." He was wearing a pair of dark jeans and he looked like he had tried to put his hair in a ponytail as it was pushed back at the front. His navy blue shirt didn't exactly fit him, and his dark grey hoodie came down past his thighs. Tranq, being intimidated by crowds didn't go to school even though Jared pressed him constantly with the need for Tranq to be educated. Though the kid was quite smart already, and with one of the scarier ability of the family. I jumped down from my perch about 18 ft up, landing silently beside Tranq. He smiled at me, "Everyone to much for you, huh?" he asked. "Ya sure that's it." I said looking away from him. "Let me guess, I have to go to school with you today." Tranq said glumly.

"I know you don't like crowded places Tranq but with Ethan backing Jared up I can't really refuse." I said turning back to him. His hair had grown long enough for a ponytail but being a boy I could see why he wasn't used to putting one in himself. "Elastic." I said hold my hand out. He took on out of his pocket turning around. I put in a loose ponytail for him so it was lying against his neck. Tranq turn back around giving me a nod of appreciation. I only helped him; he was the only one who I opened myself out to. Tranq was the only person I really trusted and he trusted me. "It won't be that bad, hey I think there's someone moving in close by want to have a look?" I asked nodding towards the smell of a truck and more people.

"Sure!" he said hopping onto my back. I started with a fast walk, and then transitioned into a run. Tranq held tightly onto my shoulders as I leaned forward running on my hands and feet at my fastest. Now I've seen kids try to pretend to be dogs or something with four legs and their butts being ready for paddling because they were the highest thing in the air. While running on hands and feet I wasn't like that, I was flat while running; nothing was sticking up in the air if you don't count Tranq who was riding me like a horse. I followed the smell towards the road, sticking behind the trees so no one walking on the sidewalk would see me. I found another road with my map of scent and turned left following it still in the tree line towards where the new truck and people were. I slowed down leaning back to run on two feet again. I slowed down to a jog holding Tranq up with my arms. I hid us behind some thick bushes and we watched as the truck stop behind another car I hadn't smelled, a large family got out of the large van. "New neighbours." Tranq said so quietly no humans could hear. I nodded and we silently kept surveillance. Though something was off with some of these people. They didn't seem…

Human.

* * *

**Max's POV**

I was out of the moving truck as fast as I could slightly landing on my ankle oddly when I hit the ground. The rest of the Flock was out of the van once it stopped; glad to be out of the confined space. Branklin, a small town in the mountains far from any city or golden arches. None of the places rang any bells, the whole town was made up of places that people created other than the Wal-Mart and a couple of stores in the Mall we passed. Just like we hoped, no one up here was going to recognize us; it was going to be quiet for at least a bit.

Hopefully.

Jeb got out of the van and Mom got out of the truck just as another one pulled around behind the first one. The road was a private one with a gate at front and the drive in curved around a little garden and looped back into itself. The house was a cute little two story country house and behind there was a back yard big enough to play professional football in it. Lots of room, good for flying; Mom had found the place and we decided to settle down. Ella got out of the van with wide eyes, staring at the new house before her; Angel and Nudge were quite the same. And then the Nudge Chanel came on.

"OMG it's like, so cute! I can't believe it this house is ours, and the yard is so huge!" she squealed being able to see the football field from around the side of the house. "I can't believe it, I just can't, I hope my room is huge, what about you? Like with a huge walk in closet and –_hmpf_" Iggy placed his hand over Nudge's mouth to shut her up.

"Okay the master bed room has a double door, any other bedroom you can have just don't fight over them." Mom told everyone. The younger ones were through the front door to get their rooms in a flash, Iggy, Fang and I walked went in a little slower, carry some of our bags. From the front door you were instantly placed in the living or family room with a stair to the left, and down a hallway on the right I could see three other doors. Feeling slightly stupid I went over to see where the doors went. Okay, kitchen was the first one, then a bathroom. I stood at a faded red wood door at the end of the hallway taking a deep breath. _Okay let's see what's behind door number three_. I though turning the handle and going inside. The room was huge! The walls were a soft earth red colour with thick carpet that was a darker red. A large window showed the backyard, and there was another door to the right wall. I opened it my jaw dropping to the floor. It was like a five star hotel bathroom, with a marble top counter with a see through bowl and tap for a sink, a large mirror making the bathroom look larger. The bathtub looked more like a large hot tub, big enough to put the whole Flock in it to be exact. Behind a stone wall was the toilet just by a closet for towels.

"This is defiantly my room." I said closing the door to the bathroom. When the movers brought in my stuff (we went IKIEA to get some stuff) I directed them to my room. Mom asked me to have the kids play outside so they wouldn't get in the way and I gathered the Flock together and went outside, with Ella tagging along. With the ball Gazzy had kept with him in the van they played soccer (Total was on Angel's team), while I watch with Fang at my side writing in his blog munching on some Chips Ahoy together. I looked over to Iggy who was staring blindly up at the sky. Poor guy, it had been about a year since he lost Serenity but I knew that deep down inside he was sad all the time even when he had that grin of his on his face. When December 22, the same day he first kissed Serenity, had passed Iggy had flown off and didn't return until dark with tear tracks down his face. I was trying to figure out whether or not she had gotten out yet. Serenity, the first girl Iggy actually showed major interest in. At one point I hated her, corresponding with an Eraser. They had no feelings, or that's what I thought until Angelo had gone back to get Serenity when she closed herself off from rescue, screaming her name. Angelo's cousin, Iggy's… girlfriend; what had happened to Serenity? She might be out of the Organization, looking for us, or maybe with the group of kids she had as her own flock doing something else. It didn't seem right, if Serenity was out she would have tried to find Iggy, reluctantly I had given Angelo our number and Fang's Blog address but he hadn't contacted us since we last saw them.

"Anything from Angelo yet?" I asked looking over to Fang. He shook his head glancing over to Iggy. "Nothing, but he could be reading the blog, just not leaving a message." Fang said. "Maybe we should just go after her." He added. "We've already tried that once, the Organization was in rubble with Eraser crawling all over it." I said under my breath. We sat in silence (not abnormal with Fang around) when an odd feeling came over me. It was familiar, way too familiar. I sat trying to ignore it until Fang tapped my shoulder. "Do feel like you're being watched too?" he asked quietly. I nodded, pulling my knees up to my chest. I looked around looking for danger but I couldn't see anything out of the ordinary.

"MAAAX!" Nudge squealed with delight running over to me. In her hands was a black cat with violet eyes looking very much unpleased the way it was being held. "Isn't it cute, it's fur it sooo soft, here pet it!" she held the cat out at arm's length, her hands underneath its front legs. If possible the cat looked very angry so I decided it would be best not to pet it. "How about you put it down, it does look like it likes you holding it." I said. "Aww can't we keep it?" Nudge said, the cat's ears and tail drooped. "There's no way we're letting that _thing_ in the house." Total barked. The cat hissed angrily at him swiping the air with its claws at Total. There was rustling in the bushes and a boy tripped as he was running over to us.

"S-sorry, she's mine. Must have gotten out of the house." He said walking up to Nudge. He looked around nine years old with his dark hair done into a loose ponytail making me wonder if this kid had seen Fang before. Nudge looked upset that she wasn't able to keep the cat but gave it to the boy any way. "Who are you?" Angel asked. He rubbed the back of his head using one arm to support the cat against his body. "D-dune." He stuttered bring his arm back to hold the cat in a more comfortable potion than Nudge had held it in.

"W-well I should g-get going." He quickly ran off before I could ask anything the cat staring at me from around his arm until it disappeared in the dark tree cover. "It's so nice to know there are people freakier than us in the world." Iggy said smiling. "What were you thinking, we are not keeping a _cat_!" our talking dog Total spat out trotting back to the ball. "But it was so cute." Nudge muttered to herself as they went back to play soccer. I was trying to figure out what just happened, the kid was weirder than us if that was possible, Fang looked down at his blog his fingers poised above the keys. "Well that was…something." I said looking over to Fang. He nodded staring at his laptop screen. I looked over his shoulder and saw the message most disturbing.

_She's dead don't even try to look for her. You're little birdie is a real angel now, there no way that you'll see her again. Serenity: died December 31st _

December thirty-first, three days after the Organization Escape. Or was it last December when Iggy had flown off? I looked at Fang who quickly deleted the comment. There was no name left so it could have been anyone, it could be a prank. "Don't tell him." Fang muttered looking into my eyes. "Don't tell anyone."

Serenity was dead? It could be a joke, maybe one of the blog readers was pulling our leg, I knew Fang wrote about Serenity on the blog anyone could have sent that message. Though I had my own doubts. Birdie, the Erasers had used that name for us, the readers would know that. Unless Fang wrote about it too.

"Guys, school starts in an hour." Mom called from the backdoor. "You should get going."

* * *

_I still hear your voice, when you sleep next to me.  
I still feel your touch in my dreams.  
Forgive me my weakness, but I don't know why  
_

_'Cause every time we touch, I get this feeling.  
And every time we kiss I swear I could fly.  
Can't you feel my heart beat fast, I want this to last.  
Need you by my side.  
'Cause every time we touch, I feel the static.  
And every time we kiss, I reach for the sky.  
Can't you hear my heart beat so...  
I can't let you go.  
Want you in my life._

_Your arms are my castle; your heart is my sky.  
They wipe away tears that I cry.  
The good and the bad times, we've been through them all.  
You make me rise when I fall._

_'Cause every time we touch, I get this feeling.  
And every time we kiss I swear I could fly.  
Can't you feel my heart beat fast, I want this to last.  
Need you by my side.  
'Cause every time we touch, I feel the static.  
And every time we kiss, I reach for the sky.  
Can't you hear my heart beat so...  
I can't let you go.  
Want you in my life._

_'Cause every time we touch, I get this feeling.  
And every time we kiss I swear I could fly.  
Can't you feel my heart beat fast, I want this to last.  
Need you by my side..veWithout you it's hard to survi_

**_Cascada  
Everytime We Touch_**


	5. All We Have To Fear Is Fear Itself

**Assassination Of Memories  
Chapter III – All We Have To Fear Is Fear Itself**

Neofreak: Akiko doesn't own _Maximum Ride_ or _Pretender_, even though she really wants too, and remember we have vampires, werewolves and demons in this fanfic

Whit Wing: Great Neofreak has taken over saying the declaimer from this point on. And no this fanfiction has nothing to do with Twilight people

Jake: Has anyone seen Akiko recently?

_**Behold, I'm back!**_

Logan: Speak of the devil…

White Wing: Oh wonderful, Akiko's God again ***groans***

_Watch it girl, I want you to behave yourself for the sequel_

White Wing: I'll try to be nicer if you try to be smarter

***Tank almost falls on White Wing***

White Wing: And if you don't drop stuff on me!

Logan: They love to hate each other, what can I say?

Neofreak: I'd stay quite if I were you Logan

Logan: Ya, well you not me

Tristen: Thanks to _Dygen Entreri,_ _DarkAngelDeams13, randomFANGluvr _and _firessflareon _for reviewing/faving, even if Akiko doesn't say it she loves getting reviews and faves from you

White Wing: Wait a minute, who the hell is this?

_This is Tristen, I picked him up at the PNE__*****__he was a cosplayer that was there^.^_

Logan: You just met this guy on the street and put him in your head, what kind of person are you!?

***Tank falls on Logan***

White Wing: How pathetic

Logan: (from under tank) Shudup!

Tristen: Okay on with the chapter before anyone else get's killed, also the story might get slightly confusing since it goes back and forth between the POVs of Max and Shadows

_Ya, sorry about that! And I'm so sorry that it took so long to put this chapter up!!!!_

_***PNE-Pacific National Exhibition**_

* * *

**Shadows POV**

For once I was thankful that Tranq can make a fast exit. He jogged away from the new neighbour's house, carrying me along. "Why did you transform, we could have just gone when the ball was kicked over to you." Tranq said looking down at me.

"I got their smell that way. They smelled liked they've lived with birds." I said pondering what was up with the new kids. My voice in this form was a sharp purr, sounding slightly deadly despite having the body of a house cat. I jumped down from Tranq's arms into a bush changing back to my human form. "You have my bag right?" I asked my voice back to its usual sound. Out of nowhere Tranq produced my messenger bag; one of his abilities was to make things out of thin air, though he had a limit. Trust me after I busted my Vectrix he tried to make a car, nothing happened even when he tried to make a new Vectrix. "So how am I going to be with you during school?" Tranq asked while we walked. I gave him a look wondering how stupid Tranq actually was.

"Jared gave you a note." Tranq said. I nodded noticing that there were more people out now. "So, could we walk there? I'd rather not─" "We're taking the bus." I answered plainly walking to where it stopped, a bunch of kids waiting there. Tranq slowed down his walk as we neared the other kids. The talking became quiet and hushed when we entered the group, everyone wearily glancing at me. Though no snide remarks, no one asking why I had a kid with me. No one challenged Amberlynn; everyone was pretty much terrified of me, except for a select few boys who kept flirting with me.

Tranq held his arms keeping his head down not looking at anyone. The bus came up looking really full. The door opened and Tranq and I stepped on, any kids in the way moved and all the kids sitting on the far back bench quickly moved when we got close. Tranq, keeping his eyes at his feet, sat down playing with his hands. "You get to sit where you want, huh?" he muttered more to himself than anything. I didn't even nod, sitting down with my back against the side of the bus, with my feet on the bench and my arms resting on my knees like I always do. Tranq was sitting quite close to me even though we had the whole bench for ourselves; one girl glanced over her shoulder looking at Tranq, her eyes widening in fear. Tranq looked up at her through his bangs and she looked away quickly shaking slightly. My friend's hands balled into fists at his sides, his eyes glared at the ground. "I hate it when people do that." Tranq hissed, "Why do I have to be the one with the fears tagging along like lost puppy dogs?"

I closed my eyes leaning my head back. Bad idea, the jocks a few rows up smelt like they haven't had a bath for weeks. My nose winkled in disgust, I just plugged my nose though that didn't help. The only reason why I didn't take the bus, all the people confined in a small space made everyone sweat which makes everyone smell –sorry, makes everyone _reek_. If I could I would have brought a gas mask but Jared was all against that idea. I opened my eyes to see that Tranq was really starting to freak out, he had beads of sweat on his forehead and he couldn't stop fidgeting.

Feeling my eyes on him Tranq answered a question I didn't even have to ask. "There's too many people, in addition to that there's only one exit route. Since it's so hot and the windows aren't open means their stuck. Even if they weren't stuck there's someone in the way of all of them slowing down a quick esc─" "Dune, you're hyperventilating." I said calmly. We were use to having to call each other by our fake names, well except Jared, he just changes his last name when he goes places. Tranq took a deep breath nodding, _trying _to be as calm as me. "Behind you," Tranq looked over his shoulder staring at the weird shape that was on the wall, "escape exit. Pull the red handle." I informed him. Tranq swallowed, bobbing his head to tell me he understood.

Another kid swivelled his head away from our direction, Tranq clenched his jaw. I dug into my pocket throwing the bracelet on Tranq's lap. The beads were a metallic black with a metal feather charm hanging from it, the bracelet fixing itself so it fit Tranq's wrist. Those who were looking at us widened their eyes whilst I plopped my hand on Tranq's head and ruffled his hair smirking. For them, it was a huge leap in showing that I actually could touch someone without hurting them. One of the basketball players, big man Demarco Bradshaw found that out the hard way when he picked a fight with me. He just got out of the hospital a few weeks ago. He was the strongest of the school before I came in, so naturally everyone backed off when the strongest was brought down. The bigger they are the harder they fall is what I always say, humans or Copies alike.

"What is up with this girl?" a cheerleader said two rows in front of us. "She's like, never done something like that before." "What's up with the kid with her too, he's looking at everyone like their the Grim Reaper." Another girl said beside her. I stood up walking over to them without even a stumble from the bumps and pot holes that bounced the bus like a basketball. "Does it really matter who is or isn't with me?" The two girls froze not turning to look at me when I spoke, one of them squeaked. "Keep to your nose in your own business instead of others." I warned them. With that said I went back to my seat recreating my sitting position. That was one of my pet peeves, people who had to know about every little detail in how I did things, like being different was wrong. I didn't understand humans that well, emotions got in the way of everything, and the fact that girls talk about boys and boys talk about girls didn't make sense to me. Jared said it was natural and he kept saying there would be one day that I'd come in and gush over a boy I saw. No one seemed appealing to me, love got in the way. I've seen enough cases that someone did something they didn't want to do because their love one's life was on the line. Not a soul could do that to me because I didn't attach to anyone, because I was being _smart._

I grabbed Tranq's arm and started to make my way to the front of the bus as it neared the school. I had to wait slightly before the doors opened; I looked in the review mirror and quickly pulled Tranq off the bus before anyone else could see the creature in the reflection. The creature was chalk white with sharp features, quite short, looking like a young boy that had been starved with hollow eyes and leathery wings on it's back, replacing Tranq in the mirror. I kept pulling him along towards the doors of the school with Tranq staring at the ground sadly both hands clenched in fists. He wasn't anything close to human, and with the help of the bracelet and a reflection people could see through his disguise. What I was tugging behind me was a demon of fear, or god depending on which viewpoint you were looking from. Though a mortal demon, on that could be hurt and scarred; one that the Organization got a hold of. Tranq wasn't like the other fear demons though; unlike the rest of them he hadn't killed anyone unless it was to protect himself. Fear demons look like starving children to draw humans in, then scared their victim half to death with a very real delusion and killed the human for pleasure or food afterward.

Getting into the school was a living nightmare for Tranq though I had to do it. A couple girls that got close enough ran off screaming, making Tranq clench his jaw to stop from yelling after them. He had taken off with the bracelet after seeing his reflection but it then tortured him with people staring at him in horror. For math and gym we were okay, and after putting the bracelet back on Tranq came to play some dodge ball with us. Then it was time for lunch, but I couldn't find the little timid demon anywhere. He wasn't in the gym and when I went towards the boys change room they told me they hadn't seen him without me even having to ask them anything. Damn, he must have run off when he got called out. Ethan was going to kill me.

I exited the gym to see a girl run past me screaming **'TOFU!!'**at the top of her lungs in horror killing my over sensitive ears. Sure enough I found Tranq in the clutches of –well lookie here– Demarco Bradshaw. "Okay kid what's your problem, huh? Making my girl run off like that, you luck I'm in a good mood cuz I'm going─" "Have you met Amberlynn before?" Tranq cut the bully off. "What, of course I have! That bitch put me in the hospital." Demarco growled. "Well she's right behind you." Tranq said trying to stop smiling and failing miserably. Demarco turned with a snarl on his face thinking Tranq was pulling his leg but terror filled his face when he saw me. Man, he was right on the dot with that one, if you got down to it, I was a bitch. But not in the way you might think.

"Girlfriend scared of tofu." I said perplexedly. Demarco didn't say anything quickly retreating. I turned to Tranq my eyes narrowing; he looked at his feet biting his lip. "Go home." I told him walking away. "Say wha… just like that you're going to let me leave?" Tranq said tailing after me. I turned to him giving the demon boy a death glare. "You can't handle it. Go home." I repeated continuing to walk towards the cafeteria. "Of course I can handle it, s'not my fault the girl ran off. And who the he-heck is afraid of _tofu_?" Tranq asked as we got into line. Of course he hadn't noticed yet that he was now surrounded by people, he was still attempting to figure out how someone could be afraid of tofu, of all things. That's when the familiar and strange smell of the new kids wavered over to me. I looked over to see they were looking around for a table. The oldest girl, the blind one and the one that was as energetic as a bunch of bunnies on Red Bull _(A/N: Thanks Mr. Walsh!) _were standing with their trays piled with a mountain of food. I could smell the other three slightly ahead of us in the line, that human/bird smell like they have been living with a bunch of birds. In some ways the smell was almost disgusting, they didn't smell washed either. Tranq looked up at me, "Shade you okay?" he asked.

I nodded though the look on my face didn't make Tranq fully sure. The blind boy's eyes uselessly looked around as if he was trying to pin point something. Though something stood out to me, he looked _familiar_, I didn't quite grasp why however. Tranq looked over where my eyes were the corner of his mouth quirking into a smile. "And you said you'd never do _boy watching_." Tranq sneered. "We get home, your getting a bullet in the head." I promised looking away from the new kids.

* * *

**Max's POV**

Okay, we were in school, half way through the day in a really crowded cafeteria. There were only three exits: the set of double doors across from each other on the east and west walls and the sky light roof that let the sun pour in above us. Iggy, Nudge and I were vulturing for a table while the rest of the Flock were getting their food. Angel had been reluctant to leave Total behind though Mom told her that he'd be there when we got out of school.

While I was looking around I spotted the boy from before, Dune, standing next to a girl paler than Iggy if that was even possible. He seemed amused and she said something to him with a blank face, behind her aviator sunglasses I could see her eyes glare at Dune for a second before she looked away. Or was it a girl? The bulky clothing was all boys that's for sure, but the face looked like a girl. Dune seemed to notice something and he became, well like us when we're surrounded. His hands held his arms and his eyes darted around, I saw him eye the two doors. He saw me watching him, and he quickly looked away. His friend turned to him and saying something with a death glare. He stuttered something back and I caught, 'it's to crowded' over the noise of the cafeteria.

"Max, oh Max there's a table being emptied to your right!" Nudge said pointing to a table where a couple of kids were leaving. Quickly moving with Iggy's finger in my belt loop we sat down at the table when I finally noticed a big empty one, just out of the way. "Don't sit down yet, there's one over there." I said standing up again, but Dune got there first, looking over to his friend in line. The kid mouthed 'stay there' though Dune didn't look happy to be by himself. A girl around his age came up to him but ran away screaming about clowns, making me slightly suspicious.

The rest of the Flock came around; Nudge kept looking at Dune with a thinking face. "Max do you think he's lonely?" she asked turning to me. Angel looked over to him too nodding. "Maybe, but I don't think─" "I'm going to go give him some company!" Nudge declared without letting me finish. I didn't think that was a good idea. Dune jumped when Nudge came up to him smiling her head off, he shied away from her immediately making himself smaller. It didn't last long, Nudge eventually ran back saying Dune had rats crawling all over him. Thing is no rats were near him at all.

"I didn't see any rats." The Gasman said. "Me neither!" Iggy said with a grin, Fang rolled his eyes. Dune was accompanied by his friend who had their trays. We were close enough to hear what they were saying though Dune's friend was as silent as Fang, sometimes not even acknowledging what Dune said. "Why doesn't Jared understand that me and crowds don't get along? He knows what happened in New York." Dune shivered. "Disaster that's what, w-what if it happens here!? Shade what will we─" his friend whacked him upside the head taking a bite out of an apple. "Sorry, I guess I am over reacting aren't I? I just hate that that happens, why does everyone have to look at me and be scared? I mean, it's like you said, 'fear is only in our heads'; if we could control our fears then we'd be better off. Your not afraid of anything of course, you're the great Shade nothing scares you!" Dune said proudly smiling at his friend.

"You're wrong." I kept my head down getting in defence mode. The voice was deep but at the same time sweet and cat-like, defiantly a girl however it sounded like a voice of a predator reminding me of the Erasers although it wasn't the same musical voice. "Even I, am scared of something."

"You scared. Of what?" Dune asked. "Myself." She answered. Dune blinked defiantly as confused as me. I glanced over to Fang, I knew he was listening too, even Iggy. "I have nightmares about the time before Jared took us in, all the innocent people that died." I was trying to process this all. What was she _talking_ about? Innocent people that died, I looked at her taking her in. She wore mostly dark clothes except for her shirt, her short, spiky and jagged hair-do was slightly startling and then her eyes, I couldn't see the colour but I could see them moving. What was she hiding? "That wasn't your fault…" "Then who was on the other side, the person's eyes I'm looking through?!" she snapped keeping her voice low. "All of that was my doing, neither you nor Jared are going to change that by saying 'it wasn't your fault'. I was in control of my actions but I let _him_ manipulate me." She hissed angrily.

"That's the most I've heard you say in a month." Dune muttered under his breath earning him another smack upside the head. "We go out in the woods and only _I_ come back." She said in a deadly tone getting up. "Stay here." She ordered going over to another table with a bunch of kids whispering. She hissed something at them receiving her terrified looks and a couple of people that looked like they wet their pants. She had a revolted look on her face slightly while she kept snapping at the kids. Dune looked around wildly clutching his arms, I didn't understand it. He was…acting like us when we're in crowded areas. Though we had learned to control it unless it was in a hospital because of the smell.

Nudge screamed jumping onto the table. "Rats!" She shrieked and I could see them crawling from under the table. Other kids jumped away from our table, Iggy even jumped up when one scurried across his lap. "That felt _way _too wrong." He said shuddering. Now you know something is wrong when big humongous plants start growing from the ground, ones that eat meat and were chasing kids around. "Spiders!" Gazzy cried, panicky brushing a bunch off and going towards Iggy. What the heck was going on?! Angel screamed, I had just enough time to see another Max lashing out at her with a knife when a snake slithered up my leg. "Oh _GOD_!" I cried leapt away ripping the snake off.

"Stop it damn it! _Tranq!!_"

I looked up to see the girl back at Dune who had huddled into a petrified ball. "Stop it before this get's out of hand!" she roared. Let's say that the cafeteria turned into a freak show with nightmares running after kids, anything possible, clowns, needles, movie horrors, graves, even a bunch a huge live steaks chasing after a group of vegetarians to name a few out of _millions_. Iggy put his hands to his ears looking in pain, his jaw clenching. More snakes slithered their way up me and I was starting to have troubles getting them off. They were coming from everywhere; there was no end to the snakes. On the ground Fang struggled trying to get out of his cage, kicking at the bars desperately. The girl also had problems; a complete double of herself was coming after her, _shooting_ at her. "You were never supposed to exist! You've over shadowed me, and I'll get rid of you to have what's rightfully mine!" the double growled still firing at the original. **"SHADOWS!"** Dune shrieked. My eyes widened the sight, I almost couldn't believe it.

He was strapped to a _metal table_ with people in_ white lab coats_ surrounding him gabbing at him with _needles_ and cutting at him with sharp _operation tools_.

* * *

**Shadows' POV**

I lunged at my double pinning her to the ground hearing Tranq scream my name. Though pinning down the double didn't stop her from shooting my shoulder. Something flashed before my eyes, Artemis through the smoke shooting at a girl before the searing pain exploded in my right shoulder, a pained noise coming from my mouth. I jump off of her ducking behind a table as Double Shadows shot at me the bullet grazing my left leg. It stung a bit but me being me I ignored it making a break for Tranq. My right shoulder felt like it was burning.

When all the Whitecoats were out for the count I ripped the straps off of Tranq taking him of the table. He had cuts all over him already, blood was staining my hands. "Tranq stop it right _now_." I told him. He was shaking, tears streaking down his face. "I can't!" he wailed dropping to his knees. Another bullet took a dime sized chunk off my right arm that made more unbearably burning but I ignored it, like always; I pushed of the ground with the balls of my feet nearly missing Double Shadows' attack. Every bullet was hitting me, I never missed while shooting, the bullet always hit the body whether it pierced or grazed. Crap, Tranq couldn't stop this; I needed to resolve these people's fears. My arm burned, blood was slowly running down from my shoulder which I couldn't now feel and my leg felt like I got a major scrape; Double Shadows wasn't going to stop until I was dead whether or not I became Swiss Cheese before that happened.

A girl near the turned over table I was hiding behind screamed her elbows pressed to her sides with rats crawling all over her. Double Shadows was right now busy with…Artemis?! My old acquaintance was shouting insults at Double Shadows taking over the nightmare's attention from me, I saw Artemis give me a wink. I ran over to the girl, who was in fact one of the new neighbours. She was African American with bouncy short brown hair, around maybe twelve or eleven years old and was defiantly terrified of rats. Her eyes shot open when I grabbed her shoulders, her screaming finally stopped. "None of this is real; if you don't fear it it'll all go away." I told her calmly. It didn't help that a rat crawled from one of her shoulders to the other. She squealed hunching over; it wasn't until I brushed a bunch off that she stood fully straight, gripping onto my arm coming closer to me. The rest of the rats disappeared, their stink thankfully going away too. "Thanks I just hate rats and the came out of like, nowhere! What's happening here anyway, does this happen usually? I guess it doesn't, cuz that's just not po─" "Will you shut you mouth?" I growled angrily trying to keep the un-needed rage under control. The girl shut her mouth waiting for me to say something. "Try to get rid of other people's fear, that's the only way this will stop." I ordered going for a large man-eating plant that was trying to chew on some seventh graders a rooting greenery smell coming from the plant. This thing was as big as an elephant; it was going to be a bit difficult to get rid of this without looking like some kind of super being.

I jumped for a little ways up from the root feeling a little dizzy while I climbed with more grace and skill that I allowed while at gym (_A/N: I know that made no sense at all_). It took some time but I finally got to the top of the plant feeling really light headed. _Crap I've lost too much blood! _I thought putting my hand on my head. It doesn't help that the man-eating plant figured out that it had a visitor and decided to get me off. I looped my arm around the stem desperately holding on for my life as the plant shook its head like a feeding shark, my legs whipped around painfully while I pulled my knife out of my pocket. Feverishly I hacked at the plant with the knife hoping it wasn't too thick with a sticky greenish sap leaking out of the wounds that was getting on my hands. _Damn plant die! I never can keep a garden_ _alive; it should be the same way with you._ I though starting to saw the stem. The plant gave a Jurassic-Park-Tyrannosaur Rex shriek shaking more vigorously to get me off. "Damn with it all." I muttered taking Zephyr out and blowing a hole in the plant's over-sized head.

I groan at impact wobbly walking away from the crater where the man-eating plant had been, the dust clearing away to reveal three saucer-eyed eighth graders. "What are you looking at?!" I snarled making them run away. "_Agh_!" I dropped to my knees a bullet buried itself into my left side, blood covering my hand while I uselessly tried to stop the bleeding. Out of the corner of my slightly fuzzy vision I saw Artemis tackling Double Shadows kicking the double's gun away. _Okay Shadows get up. Stand._I thought to myself getting up onto my feet for less than a second before dropping back to my knees. "Ohmygod are you okay?" Miss Talkative and Annoying gasped rushing over to me. "Ohmygod you've been shot, we have to call an ambulance or something! Wait, where's Max?" the girl chattered looking around. "Never mind, here I'll help you stand up. Ah…that's a lot of blood…" she gently took my elbow helping me to my feet. The familiar smell of blood filled my nose forcing me to use my hearing and sight to tell where everything was. "Can you stand? Cuz if you can I'll go help some people, but that doesn't mean I won't stay with you if you─" "I fine." I snarled jerking my arm away from her which hurt my right shoulder. Thankfully I stayed up and with a glare at the girl she left.

"Angel!" someone shouted towards another person somewhere on my left. About sixteen feet away a little girl with big blue eyes and curly blond hair blocked her face with her arms as a fifteen year old girl with shoulder length dirty blond hair and brown eyes around at least five foot eight slashed at her with a Swiss army knife. The same fifteen year old girl was standing just five feet away covered with slithering snakes so the one attacking the little girl must be a fear. Completely ignoring my weakness I pounced on the attacking fear using my left arm to rap around the fear's neck, the other hand held Zephyr up to her head. "Pick on someone your own size." I hissed in the fear's ear before pulling the trigger. The fear vanished but what it left behind didn't. The girl was huddled in a ball with cuts, gashes and scrapes, tear tracks streaked down her face. It reminded me of the Zelasko Mission; their daughter was huddled in the corner after my attack on her parents; I clearly remembered the terror on her face as I came up to her and pulled the trigger. My stomach lurched, I swallowed down the anger inside of me taking a deep breath. So many innocent people I could have left alive but instead I decided to kill them, you might be asking yourselves how I could live with myself after that, how I could get a peaceful sleep after _murdering _so many people. The truth was I always hated myself and sleeping came hard when memories of people's bodies and faces resurfaced to haunt me. God was in it for us sinners, never going to make my life easier until I died.

Which could be today.

I felt like I was going to be sick, either from the hatred or the lost of blood. But I had to stop more fears so Tranq would be able to get under control, so I and many other people wouldn't get any more injured. That's when I spotted another one of the neighbours. He was around fifteen also, tall with olive skin and black hair that he had done up into a pony tail that went down to his waist and dark eyes that were desperately trying to find a way out. His outfit was many shades of black, sort of what I use to wear while I had been at the Organization. Of course that wasn't what had made me stare. He was in a _cage_. Tranq was scared of being in small spaces because he had been in a cage for his whole life; now I doubt any _normal _kid would have their worst fear of being in a cage unless they too had lived in a cage and I'm sceptical that parents would go to those kinds of lengths in child abuse but there was a three percent chance I was wrong. I quickly went over to the cage towering over the boy. He looked up, saw the look on my face plus the gun in my hand and pressed himself to the back of the cage in silent communication that he understood I was helping him. I shot the lock and he jumped out of the cage going over to the little girl. I heard a hiss by the older girl from one of the snakes; with no hesitation I swung the gun around in her direction pulling the trigger. She froze but the bullet hit my target, the snake that was trying to bite her neck. It disappeared along with the rest of the snakes though the teen kept staring at me in horror. The next person closet was the boy with the spiders crawling all over him. He was like the little girl who looked around seven or six, with big blue eyes and blond hair that looked like it had once been spiked, however the African American girl went to help him first. My other option was the last neighbour, the one that looked familiar to me. Doesn't help that Artemis accidentally attacked me instead of the double.

She shoved my back at least ten feet and we rolled for a bit until I kneed her in the gut. "Wrong one _idiot_." I hissed as Artemis rolled off of me and onto her feet. "Sorry about that buddy." She apologized helping me up.

* * *

**Max's POV**

Dune's friend was friends with Artemis!? I remembered her quite well the day she captured Angel and it almost made sense. Dune's friend had no hesitation when getting rid of the other me that was attacking Angel; she also shot at me again, even if it was to get rid of the snakes. Though she helped us, so why...? I was somewhat surprised when the mysterious girl punch Artemis in the face making Artemis stumble back a little. "I'm not your _buddy_." Dune's friend snarled. "Okay calm down, I know I did a lot of stuff back at home but it doesn't mean that you have to punch me." Artemis said. "Hey, who's the one helping out with Miss I-Want-What's-Rightfully-Mine, huh? You can at least show me some gratitude."

I looked over to the double that was looking around on the ground for her misplaced gun. Okay this was confusing me, if Artemis wasn't the mysterious girl's companion why was Artemis helping Dune's friend? None of this made sense, how the heck had all these fears started running around, and why was Dune's friend dealing with all of it like it was normal? So many questions and no answers! Everyone in the Flock had been helped except Iggy which is probably the next person the girl was going to before Artemis had tackled her. "You do recall the mission you-know-who gave to you before you left, right?" Artemis asked the girl who didn't answer. "Are you going to complete it?" Artemis enquired, the blank face of the mysterious girl changed into a 'why would I want to?' sort of look. Mission? "Okay that's a first from you. What has happened to you since the last time I saw you?" Artemis said quite befuddled. "A lot." The other girl answered just when Dune screamed again. Though this time it wasn't in pain or fight, it was anger. All the people in lab coats who once again surrounded him were down in an instant with Dune in the center of the ring of unconscious people before they disappeared. He was covered with many gashes that were bleeding which were staining his clothes. Artemis whistled, "Wow he's gotten pretty tough, not the coward I met before that's for sure. Oh great, now he saw me, your own your own pal." With that Artemis high-tailed it out of the cafeteria. The other girl snarled after Artemis, the kind of snarl not people but _Erasers_ could accomplish. Dune ran over to his friend his eyes wide, "Shade why haven't you gone home yet!? You're over pushing yourself _again_!" he cried. She glared at him and he looked around. "Oh ya…sorry?" he said. For the third time today Dune got smacked up-side the head, though hard enough it sent him face down in the ground. Suddenly I felt really light headed, my vision going black around the edges. What the heck was happening? The earth fell out from underneath me and I hit the ground with a painful _thud_.

The last thing I saw was Dune helping his friend to the exit and all the nightmares and fears disappearing.

* * *

_It's the first time I've ever felt this lonely,  
Wish someone cure this pain  
It's funny when you think it's gonna work out  
Till you chose weed over me you're so lame _

_I thought you were cool until the point,  
Up until the point you didn't call me when you said you would  
Finally figured out you're all the same,  
Always coming up with some kind of story_

_Every time I try to make you smile,  
You're always feeling sorry for yourself  
Every time I try to make you laugh,  
You can't your too tough  
You think you're loveless  
Is that too much that I'm askin for?_

_Thought you'd come around when I ignored you,  
Sorta thought you'd have the decency to change  
But babe I guess you didn't take that warning,  
'Cause I'm not about to look at your face again!_

_Can't you see that you lie to yourself?  
You can't see the world through a mirror  
It won't be too late when the smoke clears  
'Cause I, I am still here_

_But every time I try to make you smile,  
You'd always grow up feeling sorry for yourself  
Every time I try to make you laugh,  
You stand like a stone,  
Alone in your zone_

_Yeah, yeah_

_Can't find where I am, lying here alone in fear,  
Afraid of the dark, no one to claim alone again_

_Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_Can't you see that you lie to yourself?  
You can't see the world through a mirror,  
It won't be too late when the smoke clears  
'Cause I, I am still here_

_Every time I try to make you smile,  
You're always feeling sorry for yourself  
Every time I try to make you laugh,  
You can't your too tough  
You think you're loveless  
It was too much that I asked him for_

_**Avril Lavigne  
Too Much to Ask**_


	6. Past Is Done and Gone

**Assassination of Memories  
Chapter IIIV – Past Is Done and Gone **

_I don't own Maximum Ride or the Pretender characters_

**Current POV  
**_**Past POV**_

* * *

**Shadows' POV**

"What happened to both of you?" Was unsurprisingly the first sentence out of Jared's mouth when we entered the living room, even though Jared was mainly looking at me. Reading Jared's thoughts Neo left the room, probably to get the first-aid kit. _Note the sarcasm_. "What do you think happened?" Rose said stomping through the front door like she usually did when she's pissed. Her hair was a mess, tangled, frizzy, chopped off in some places and ever so slightly singeing. "_He _lost control and the whole school went to hell. The Devil's hair dresser did my hair, the Bogeyman was chasing after Tale and Bronze was being beat to a living pulp by a live skeleton. The damn demon can't keep the fears to himself, there's a reason why creatures like him don't belong here." Rose said sticking her nose in the air turning her back to Tranq.

"It's not my fault I'm like this! I wasn't born a Bhairavi, the Organization made me one." Tranq objected Neo coming back in the room. "Put the bed down Neo, we're supposed to be humans not super humans or undead." Ethan scolded from on the couch not too far away from us. In his hand Neo held the simple hospital bed that Jared 'borrowed' from the hospital down the road. However Jared couldn't pick the bed up with just one hand; Neo rolled his eyes with a disgusted face putting the bed down and pushing it hard in my direction. The bed's wheels barely stayed on with the speed Neo pushed it at, Tranq grabbed the front bar stopping the runaway bed before it hit me, the metal bar bent a little at impact.

"Watch it bat boy." Tranq glowered. Dead-ones just can't get along with Bhairavi, hell Dead-ones didn't get along with any other creature other than their own kind, it was quite annoying. "Shadows could you get on the bed for me please?" Jared asked motioning to the bed while Tranq pushed it away from himself gently. _I'm good with standing _I thought but got on the bed anyway taking off my jacket. I hadn't notice exactly how much blood I lost, though when a white shirt is stained dark, dark red you know you've got a problem. "Rose I need many bandages and some cloths, their upstairs in the main bathroom." Jared ordered. Rose, looking like she was going to be sick at the sight of blood, quickly left along with a disgusted looking Neo. "Ethan I could use a warm bowl of water." With that said Ethan left leaving Tranq, Jared and me behind.

An intimidating silence filled the room, the tension a taunt cord ready to snap. Jared moved the coffee table to make room for the bed, sitting down on one of the bar-stools he brought out before taking a look at the damage that had been done to me. I turned my head over to look at Tranq who was staring at the ground, his eyes saddened. I got ready for any apology that Tranq was going to spit out, backing him up if he was saying sorry to Jared as well. "I didn't mean to lose control, all the people got to me." Tranq confessed quietly. Jared glanced at him for a millisecond then called for Rose and Ethan to hurry up. Ethan got there first with the bucket of warm water, leaving once he saw the look in Jared's eyes going up the stairs; Rose came quickly in and out leaving enough bandages to fix a whole wounded army and enough cloths to bathe an elephant. Jared dipped one cloth in the water ringing it out so it wouldn't soak me. Much to my dismay Jared couldn't get to all my wounds with my shirt on so he cut open my shirt leaving me in my tank top that went down to the bottom of my ribs. Man I could some-what remembered the last time I was like this.

* * *

**Third POV**

Shadows looked even worse now, blood draining out of the wound in her left side a little ways above her hip, even the wound at her right shoulder look terrible. While Jared carefully cleaned it Shadows clenched her jaw closing her eyes to stop herself from looking weak. Tranq took the blame for Shadows being injured nevertheless admired how strong his friend was being able to stay quiet even while in pain. Once Jared could see what he was dealing with he realized that the bullet was still in Shadows side. How far down, he couldn't exactly tell but whoever shot her did an expert job as the bullet wound was a perfect circle. _So an expert with arms shot her _Jared thought calling for Neo to bring some 'tools'. Shadows breathed evenly and to everyone else she was as calm as could be, on the contrary that wasn't the case. The instant Jared said tools Shadows panicked inside feeling herself get hot. Something about the operation tools freaked her out; like she said to Tranq before, she wasn't completely fearless, she was technically a human being and human beings couldn't be absolutely perfect and fearless. "I'm not coming in there." The melodic voice of Neo floated down the stairs. "Tranq could you take the stuff from Neo please?" Jared asked applying pressure to Shadows' side wound with one of the not really necessary cloths. Memories of the last time Jared tended to Shadows this way were bubbling up in his mind although she had been worse.

Instead footsteps echoed down the stairs, Ethan come into the living room with a tray of operation tools. Tranq's eyes locked on the tools, he made himself smaller settling farther into the couch where Ethan had sat earlier. "There you go Jared." Ethan said putting the operation tools on the coffee table Jared had moved behind his chair. The young man looked at Tranq giving him a little smile, Tranq nodded his appreciation then Ethan left. "Okay just stay still Shadows." Jared said taking the tweezers off the tray, gently and slowly going into the wound to take the bullet out. Tranq stared down at the floor waiting for it to be over, his stomach churning. Shadows released a grunt as the bullet came out which Jared placed on the tray quickly grabbing a roll of bandages wrapping it around Shadows until the wound was entirely covered up. _At least I was unconscious for this part last time_ Shadows thought sourly.

_****Start of Flashback****_

_**Shadows' POV**_

We had been riding for at least six hours now; the sun was just peaking over the mountains to our right. Tranq snoozed against my back his arms wrapped around my waist, quite snores coming out of his slack mouth. I pushed the hood of my cloak off my head letting the wind blow through my hair. The Organization was way behind us but not out of our lives yet, I saw that the Copies would after us when we stopped at the town that was coming up, the Organization placed them there for escaped subjects. I stopped the bike just outside of town cutting the engine. With our non-going motion Tranq woke up looking around staring up at me like we've never seen each other. With Tranq's memory surge he jumped off the bike looking wildly around, awe on his face.

"Am I dreaming, or are we really out of the Organization?" he breathed turning to me. I tilted my head to the sky that was a brilliant blue, not like the dark or grey sky I was use to, smelling the air. It was all different, for the first time in my life I took time to organize scents. It was different than the Organization; it didn't smell like anaesthetic or mixed animal smells. It was green; a heavy scent of humans blew from the town a ways down the road from us. Other animals were there also, cats and dogs mostly, with a few horses just a ways out from the town. The scent of Copies lingered as well marking their territory.

We were just on the border of it.

Tranq was taking deep breaths looking around at everything. "I use to live on the streets of a city when I was little, though I don't remember so many trees." Tranq said. "So what are we doing?" I kicked the bike in gear slowly starting off. "Whoa, wait a minute!" Tranq came right in front of the bike stopping it with his hand. He was strong, really strong. "Are you just going to leave me out here? We have to stick together... Shadows, that's what you said was your name, right?" Tranq said. "We should find some people who can help us, there has to be a town here somewhere."

"Copies are over the next town." I said in the blank voice of mine receiving a baffled look from Tranq. "Okay, so what are Copies? Clones?" I blinked not understanding what the boy just said. What are clones? I stopped the motorcycle again getting off bringing the kickstand down. "Are you going to answer my question?" Tranq inquired while I crouched down by the borderline, my fingers on the invisible line. Flaring my nostrils I figured the borderline went right across the road and into the forests on both sides, how ever far was hard to tell. The wind blew in a smell that told me we had a visitor, my ears picking it up before the truck was in sight. Sounded like a pickup truck with an oil leak by the intense gasoline smell that drove its way up the road. Right now I was busy with trying to find any nearby Copies but I did see the blue pickup truck way down the road far enough away it looked like a bug with a cloud of dust chasing after it. I put my hood up, covering half of my face as Tranq looked up to see the oncoming vehicle. "Ah Shadows, we've got company." Tranq informed.

The truck drove past, doing a U-turn coming back our direction when the driver noticed that we were a bewildered looking boy and cloaked teenager on the side of the road. "Hi there, what are a couple of kids like you doing out here? Have you lost something?" I glanced up to see an old man around his mid-sixties leaning over to the front passenger window from the driver's seat. His face was wrinkled; his dark blue eyes looked at us in suspicion. His white hair went to the chin of his heart shaped face; a scar ran down from the top of his right eye to his cheek bone. I wasn't surprised I didn't get a Flash from him; he was too old at any rate so none of his records would be in the FlashDrive. He was an averagely large man wearing a red plaid shirt and faded blue overalls. The man looked at Tranq the most who was wearing white pants and a matching white long sleeve shirt as well as no shoes. With our escape down the vent Tranq had turned his white clothes light gray with the dust that weaved itself into the fabric, making him look like a light rain cloud. "No we haven't lost anything, we're sorta lost ourselves." Tranq said. "Well I could give you a lift to town; just put the snazzy looking motorbike into the back." The man smiled. I motioned Tranq to help me even though I could have easily heaved the Vectrix into the bed of the pickup truck.

"Don't tell him your name or mine." I said expressionlessly while we lugged the bike into the back of the truck. "What name?" the boy asked. "Tranq." I told him while Tranq stared at me in confusion. We walked back to the truck and got in, Tranq in the middle with me next to the door. Tranq though, didn't look too happy with being confined even if both windows were open. "Oh, I'm sorry I forgot to introduce myself. My name is James, James Patterson." The man said._ (A/N: no he's not JP! ) _"I'm... Dune, and this is Amberlynn." Tranq said glancing over to me.

I didn't really care about the fake name, though I noticed his exact words. He didn't say friend, buddy or anything on those lines, if someone caught that it would raise their suspicion to the maximum. By just saying someone's name means you just met them, that you don't know the person just their name. Tranq needed to watch what he did while he was lying as well. He covered his mouth with his hand while giving Patterson our phony names; it was as if Tranq was covering up his lie. Tranq also fidgeted while he lied, like to move away from the fib he was telling. The only thing that Patterson seemed to catch was that little detail with Tranq's hand, I saw the doubt rise in his eyes.

Leaning towards the window was the only way for me to know what was coming up ahead; the smell of Copies was all over, being in their territory made me uneasy. If those dogs found me here they would be fight even more viciously than they usually did. Tranq glanced over in my direction every couple moments to see any distress on my face that meant we had a problem. My mask of deprived emotion stayed as it was, I kept entirely calm, inside and out. Aromas of bakery products and people flew past as we neared the town of about maybe two thousand people. The scenery changed slowly from the dirt road and tress to buildings popping up like daisies. The town seemed centered on the little stores and medium sized library, paved roads leading off to residential areas. Though unlike the cities I had been to the small town with no name had trees boarding the edges and in-between the few houses we could see from the café that Patterson dropped us off at.

"There's an inn just down the road there that you can go to for cheap and I'm sure that if you go to Toni's Store he'll give you some new clothes and stuff like that." Patterson told Tranq whilst I carefully rolled the Vectrix off the bed of the truck and to the ground. Tranq thanked the man shaking his hand and Patterson drove off, staring at us through the rear view mirror as he left. Taking the keys out of the Vectrix I parked the motorcycle next to the café, Tranq and I entered the small building.

Tranq's stomach rumbled at the smell of food, a waitress (the only waitress at that) sat us down by the kitchen door at one of the small round tables that occupied the café, I made it careful that I didn't focus on her's or anyone else's face. People ate at the bar just a couple feet away from us, a good number of the people glanced over at us in curiosity. "So what are you going to have?" Tranq asked looking away from his menu at me. I didn't take any notice to my tag along until he asked me if I was going to eat which I bluntly shook my head to. "Come on you should have something, or do we have any money at all?" Tranq asked depressingly looking over the menu. From the Organization, I had at least one hundred Canadian, two hundred fifty American with a mix in of approximately sixty-nine Euro just in case. "Well do we?" Tranq asked sounding just a bit irritated. I nodded. "Why won't you just answer my questions, it's not rocket science or anything like that." Tranq said getting snappier. I narrowed my eyes making Tranq recoil, possibly from my pupils becoming slits. The waitress came back getting our drinks and Tranq's order; I stuck with the water she brought both of us before Tranq's root beer, whatever the hell that was.

I held up the thing I picked out of the waitress' pocket staring at it curiously. Abella was engraved on the bottom making me wonder whether it was the waitress' name or the manufacture of this weird mini clip. "Where'd you get the nail clippers?" Tranq asked sipping his drink through a straw. Nail...clippers? Tranq pointed at the thing in my hand like I was an idiot, "It's a mini travel nail clipper, there might be a pull out nail file attacked to it." Indeed, underneath the part you press down to close the clippers was something that swung out, a part of the metal thing crosshatched with a small blunt point with one curved side at the end. "The hook-thing at the end is used to get dirt out from underneath you nails." Tranq told me. I've never seen anything like this; I flipped the nail file back into place slipping the nail clipper into the pocket of my pants for later use.

Tranq wolfed down his food and I paid, leaving the café while everyone stared us out. "Alright, where to now?" Tranq asked. We had to leave before the Copies caught our scent I turned to where the Vectrix was supposed to be, to find my valuable bike was _gone_. "Oh that's not good. Now how are we supposed to go anywhere?" Tranq said disappointed. Either we walk or we find my bike's hijackers. I bent down taking a quick sniff, Tranq watching me in wonder.

Two teenagers took it, males to be exact. Humans, one didn't smelled washed, the other smelled like gasoline both wearing clothes that should have been long ago cleaned. Standing up I put my nose to the wind, locked onto their recent scents and gave chase. I shot off with Tranq at my heels, in all likelihood he was wondering what I was doing. They had pushed the bike down the sidewalk, taking it down one of the residential streets. _They're going to modify my bike or take_ _parts off of it _I thought miffed that these two jerks just ruined my first day of freedom by stealing my bike. The scent went to a two story house that had the front garage door open, two teenage boys both around seventeen around my Vectrix, tools scattered around the garage floor. Tranq and I were in fact thirty feet away from the house; Tranq noticed what was going on coming up beside me. "Shadows we should just ask for the bike back. We don't have to do it violently just let me talk to them.

I came up to the house, slowing down to a walk coming up the driveway silently going right up to the teens that had their backs facing me. "Isn't this thing awesome, it's supposed to be over a thousand dollars." One of the said to his friend. He was African American with neck length dark brown hair, wearing ripped jeans and an Indy Speedway racing jacket. His other friend had white skin with sandy blond hair wearing brown shorts and a dark short sleeved shirt. "Excuse me that is _my _bike." I said coldly making the two teens jump up turning towards me. The African American had hazel eyes that stared at me with a caught look, the other kid's dark sapphire blue eyes widened to meet the owner of the Vectrix. Once again I made sure not to focus on their faces. Neither of them could see the upper half of my face, the one wearing the race jacket became amused. "Oh look this bike belongs to Voldemort's little sister. What are you going to do, hit me with the Killing Curse?" he sneered elbowing his friend. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." Tranq told them just to have them laugh.

"Someone looks like he just came out of the psycho ward, I believe you're little Harry Potter fangirl is going there next." The other boy mocked making them both go for another round of hysteric laughter. My handed rested on _Zephyr_, ready to put some sense into these morons even though I had no idea what they were talking about in the terms of Voldmort or Harry Potter fangirl. Tranq gave me a 'don't do it' look that I ignored. I hurdled myself at the second boy knocking him over, pointing the gun at his head. His eyes widened in surprise either from my eyes or _Zephyr_, his skin going a whiter shade. "Hand over the bike." I said unemotionally. I swerved the gun up to the first boy who put his hands up, the smell of urine making me disgusted. Cowardly human. "You're crazy bitch." He breathed earning him a bullet that grazed his cheek. He winced, his dark hand flying up to his face, his own blood coming off onto his hand. Tranq quickly moved up going beside the bike, I moved slowly keeping my gun on the first boy maintaining tabs on the second that laid on the ground. I got onto the Vectrix, Tranq on behind me, putting the key in and driving off out of the garage and down the road.

"Great, _now _we're going to have to police all over us. We could have just asked for it back." Tranq said over the wind. I glanced back at him, my eyes telling him I wasn't really impressed. "The police are going to be after us in half an hour." Tranq muttered to himself. The bike screeched to a halt, slamming Tranq against my back. "Ow, what was that for?" He groaned looking over my shoulder. I started the bike quickly, doing a sharp U-turn with the bike shrieking that made my ears ring, leaving a black skid mark of the tires looping around. We shot off in the direction of the two teens flying past the house, a black panel van turning the corner behind us. With the wind blowing in my face I couldn't smell our pursuers but I was pretty sure it was the Copies. Tranq made that deduction also.

"Their gaining on us!" Tranq yelled over the wind that whipped his hair around his face. I checked my right side mirror. The black van zoomed after us the male supermodel in the driver seat glaring at my back. "So Copies are Erasers, we're done for." Tranq whimpered. "It isn't over until the fat lady sings." I said callously turned my body pulling _Zephyr_'s trigger five times. Five bullet holes appeared in the glass all in a straight line killing the Copy in the front passenger seat and taking a large chunk off the driver's cheek. I heard his growl even from where I was as he floored his pedal gaining enough to bump the Vectrix. Already we were outside of the little town with a second, familiar pursuer.

Patterson's pickup truck came up behind the van, his passenger, a young man around maybe his mid-twenties with dark hair and dark eyes filled with furry leaned out of the window producing a shot gun, opened fire on the Copies' van. He possibly wounded or killed many of the Copies in the van; the Copy hit the brakes, Patterson's pickup slammed into the van at thirty miles an hour. Looking away I heard the crunch of metal against metal, screeching while Patterson's truck pushed the van forward and the air-bags deploying faintly during the deafening noise. I couldn't tell whether or not the two in the truck survived, all I knew was the van was in satisfactory condition that it gave chase again.

"We have to go back Shadows!" Tranq said. "Please, we have to help them!" "We go back, we get caught. Their assistance would have been in vain." I told him unsympathetically. Tranq became quiet behind me, holding on tightly as we rocketed through the mountain roads.

Patterson's aid provided useful putting distance between us and the van which stayed about forty feet away while it tailed after us. After a few hours the van grew larger quickly, catching up to us from our loss of fuel. "Shadows, their back." Tranq said in a panicked tone, the van now twenty feet away. Another Copy had situated himself in the passenger seat, leaning out of the window like Patterson's passenger before.

I swerved, copying what I had seen many rabbits do that was used for my target practice in the Organization. By zigzagging most predators couldn't catch the rabbits, seems like a Copy could shoot a moving rabbit as I crisscrossed across the road missing his bullets. The dog tried predicting where I was going like my zigzag was a pattern just for him to find out I would stop going one direction before getting to the side of the road or immediately after I changed directions. So my confusing movement had many varieties of distances I would go before I changed direction, I even added in slowing and speeding up to give the stupid dog an even greater challenge. The Organization, sadly, made smarter Copies.

The damned dog blew out my back tire.

"You zigged when you should have zagged!" Tranq cried out as the bike slipped out from underneath us. I hit the ground on a roll stopping on my stomach and shot the two tires closest to me, causing the van to veer right and tip onto its side rolling down into a ditch on the side of the road. I pushed myself off the ground in time before the van caught me on the roll down; Tranq on the other hand got trapped underneath the van when it stopped. I, for one, didn't really cared what happened to the slightly annoying subject, though I did see that he was going to be fine. The back of the van burst open with sixteen Copies jumping out, all ready to fight me.

Until about five of them were swallowed by a tree's shadow.

Tranq materialized out of my shadow getting into a fighting stance. "I really thought I was a goner there for a second. So any fluff balls want to play a game of Tag?" Tranq asked the remaining eleven Copies lunged at us. I had no idea what Tag was however decided not to question it, charging for the closest Copy.

* * *

_**Tranq's POV**_

When I was four years old, four years ago I lived on the streets and knew that girls' fighting was catty. Shadows made that description more literally than the metaphor meant. Quick, lightning fast attacks with hisses thrown in, it looked like a cat had gotten into a fight with a dog while Shadows attacked the Eraser because he made her drop her gun. I was starting to panic, Patterson and his friend could have easily died trying to help us and we were going to be captured any way. My shadows were 'eating' up the Erasers faster than you could say 'SIT' yet more kept popping up. One Eraser stood back from the fight his face smug whilst hordes of Erasers after Erasers came pouring out of the van like water. They should have run out of Erasers a long time ago unless...

"Shadows get the one standing in the back!" I yelled an Eraser tackling me from the side. I punched him in the face, driving the bones of his nose into his brain killing him. Rolling out from beneath him I jumped for one going for Shadows from behind kicking him at the base of his hip. The Eraser fell to his knees where I could clap my hands over his ears with a sceam that sounded like nails on a chalk board and a loud **_CRACK_** of breaking bone.

_Alright as long as they don't morph we'll be fine_ I thought the Eraser shrieking in pain at my feet. As if the Erasers read my mind they morphed, turning from male super models to their first morph stage. Looking like they took major overdoses of steroids these Erasers were large and bulging with muscles, their features sharp with a mouth full of canines, talons replacing nails, dark coarse fur growing on the backs of their hands and slightly past there.

I dove to the ground missing an Eraser who tried to bring his clasped hands down on my head; I brought my leg up kicking him hard in the gut blood spurting out of his mouth. Another kick to the round tables brought him down, most likely denying him to be able to go number one for the rest of his life, he was in so much pain he couldn't even scream. I swatted other Erasers like they were flies, though they kept coming. I was knocked into the air slamming against a tree knocking my breath out, dangling from my arms thirteen feet above the ground. Thinking they dealt with me the other Erasers went to challenge Shadows who was bringing down Eraser after Eraser after Eraser not showing any signs of exhaustion or surrender. Using my upper body strength I effortlessly climbed up to a branch poising myself ready for flight and fight.

Lifting off the branch I streaked towards the crowd of Erasers efficiently knocking four in the head snapping their necks. Hovering above the mass of Erasers I shouted down insults consequentially distracting them. Shadows stabbed one in the back with something I couldn't see, I bombed down taking hold of an Eraser's neck with my legs and flipped over crashing him into the Earth.

Shadows jumped gaining more air than an average human bringing her arm down in a slicing motion, blood spurting out of a vertical wound in the Eraser's throat before he collapsed. I finally saw it was the nail clipper Shadows had in the café, the slightly blunt point granted practical when force was applied behind it. The Eraser in the back fell, a good number of the Erasers disappearing along with him. Shadows stood with her gun pointed at the spot the Eraser had been, a deadly look on her face.

I followed Shadows as we gratefully sprinted away from the Erasers into the forest. I jumped from obstacle to obstacle to keep up with Shadows until I realized that flying would be easier to keep up with her. With one jump I left my launching leg up bringing my other after another jump staying airborne without anything holding me up. Shadows glanced over to my silently, her unnatural electric blue eyes staring at me. Her cloak flapped behind her, the hood had come off while we were fighting. I knew that the Erasers would be back again, Shadows knew that too. We would have to find some place to rest, hoping that she wouldn't leave me like she tried to before when I heard a whizzing sound. _What the_ _heck –_ I thought before a tranquilizer dart landed point blank on my arm.

I crashed to the ground, an Eraser jumped at me while I was open. Shadows caught the Eraser with a bullet mid-air picking me up onto my feet and running off. Slightly dazed I pulled the dart out following after her knowing that I should have blacked out by now. What was going on? We ran until our legs were on fire stopping when we knew we weren't being followed. I slumped against a pine tree, my breaths ragged and hoarse, I was sure I could taste blood in my throat somehow. Shadows breathing was slightly uneven though she hid she was tired by breathing from her nose. My palms were sweaty, my mind bushed and confused like the rest of my body.

"Why didn't I black out from the tranquilizer?" I asked breathless sliding down the bark sitting on the ground. My feet ached with all the rocks, pine needles and splinters that stuck into the soft flesh, Shadows didn't give me an answer like always while I brushed my feet off, picking some of the longer pine needles out of my left foot.

"That's why I named you Tranq." She said uncaringly, vacantly gazing at me. "Ya well you named me that _before_ this happened might I point out. How did you know that it wouldn't affect me?" I asked glancing at her. Shadows didn't answer, predictable. I sighed standing up after I had finished tending to my sore feet. "We should find somewhere to rest." I said looking around. Shadows jumped for a low tree branch near her climbing up into the tree. My feet lifted off the ground while I followed Shadows up the tree watching as she found a branch and settled down almost twenty feet off the ground. "We're going to sleep in trees?" I came into closer holding onto two branches. With her hood covering her eyes Shadows gave a sharp nod, wiping off the bloody nail file on her cloak. I floated up to the large branch above her placing myself in a comfortable position.

Though the nap didn't come, and not because of the threat of Erasers attacking at any moment but just knowing that I was Outside, the place beyond the walls and fences of the dreaded Organization. A companion I made in the Organization thought all there was to the world was the Organization which is hard to believe. I told him about the city I lived in before the Organization had captured me, dawning on him that there was an Outside, another life other than a cage or surgical table. I remember him very well the day about two months ago when he escaped with his younger brother, how determined he was to leave for the third time and stay that way. Shawn, I missed him and his timid brother Bryden, two twin brothers that stayed strong throughout their life of misery escaping to the Outside not once but twice. I envied them.

Sun light filtered down through leaves and pines, patterns of light falling on my skin. I wasn't use to the sun, my light olive skin had become paler from years spent indoors, and the sun even seemed brighter here than it did at the Organization when I was put out in the yards to fight Erasers and other subjects by myself. The sky appeared even bluer and for the first time in four years I saw white fluffy clouds in the sky where the trees didn't hide the skies away. I glanced down to see Shadows staring at the sky as well, her face emotionless yet her eyes exposed the wonder she had for the big blue yonder. I didn't really understand it; Shadows escaped the Organization that gave her better clothes and a motorcycle, why was she _way_ better off than I was? Also her name, Panther Shadows, I felt like I heard that somewhere.

"Hey Shadows have you ever been on the Outside?" I asked causing her look up at me. Shadows gave another sharp nod taking her eyes off me to look at the sky. "The world was much darker than this." She said callously. "Sounds like you got Out during the night. How long were you Out for?" I questioned. As expected Shadows didn't answer, it ticked me off a bit; in spite of that I was –at a snail's pace– getting use to it.

Shadows silently stood up swiftly on her branch, grabbed mine and pushed off to sit up with me. "Wha—" she clapped a hand over my mouth narrowing her eyes at me, wordlessly telling me to be shut my mouth. I glanced down to the ground, the tree would hide us from anyone walking past but an Eraser looking for us would be able to pick out my nearly white clothing like a neon signing pointing to where we were. If it _was_Erasers... well then we were doomed. I was overly surprised to see a wolf, a regular and very large red-ish brown wolf, walking just below us. I relaxed unlike Shadows tension. If possible she was glaring down at the wolf a snarl almost on her face. The wolf sniffed around seemed to smell something following it to the base of our tree. Great so now it smelt me. It sniffed up the trunk supporting itself on its hind legs and front paws on the trunk; it looked up snarled and proceed to bark at us. The barking was doubtlessly because my scent; it always made animals hate me to their core. That's what I thought before Shadows hurled herself at the wolf.

The wolf jumped out of the way snarling at the crouched Shadows just a few feet away. She snarled back baring her teeth. They circled each other, eyes locked. The wolf launched itself in the air aiming for Shadows; she jumped back slightly before going in for the attacked tackling the wolf full force driving it onto it's back. Pinned down, the wolf bit down on her just below her left shoulder to get her off which worked for a moment before Shadows got free leaping towards the wolf again. For a less than a second there were only two wolves, the over large one and a smaller white one then it was Shadows and the wolf again both dealing out attacks that wounded the other. After efficiently snapping the wolf's back leg Shadows ended the fight. The wolf jumped away from her, limply running away snarling at her as it left, disappearing into the forest.

Shadows stood up panting softly leaning against another tree. I glided down to her, touching down right beside her asking if she was okay. Nodding Shadows took off her cloak revealing she wasn't in truth okay accidentally. The first bite the wolf did was bleeding heavily which Shadows tended to by ripping a piece of her cloak off wrapping it around the wound using her teeth the help her tie it off. The other bites weren't as bad, the claw marks on her right ankle were going to leave scars with the bite on her arm; sitting down she ripped another piece of cloak to bandage up her ankle. "What was that about? Why did you attack it?" I asked staring down at her in concern. She gave a hard tug tying down her ankle bandage. "Species feud." Shadows answered in her usual tone checking herself over to see if any more fixing needed to be done.

"Species feud?" I repeated utterly confused. Shadows explained it to me straightforward and bluntly, making me finally understand. "No wonder I don't affect you." I muttered. "I'm a Bhairavi hybrid you see, a demon of fear. So what species was that then?" Shadows didn't answer, neither with words nor body language. Maybe she didn't know even thought that didn't seem possible.

"Do we at least have a plan, ah... a heading?" I asked getting a smirk for Shadows.

###########

I cringed yet again as the car groaned in protest to Shadows driving, its screech making my ears ring. I was in a car with the Organization's greatest and deadliest assassin (I finally figured that out) and that same person couldn't drive a small, slightly beaten Volkswagen, could my life get any more dangerous? Even with her calm face frustration radiated off of Shadows in violent rolls, her knuckles white from grabbing the wheel too hard out of annoyance. "Why don't you let me—" I flinched mid-sentence as Shadows glared at me her pupils becoming slits like an angry cat. "Never mind." I said instead opening my door and jumping out. The wind howled outside the car from its speed; I flew alongside it getting a look from Shadows that lasted a second before her face became calm again. "Sorry, the car's starting to bug me." I apologized Shadows' gaze turning back to the road. Outside the car's moans and screeches was less though still deafening anyhow. It was probably around noon or just after it, despite my fall outfit I was still chilly holding my arms while I flew beside the small black Volkswagen. We had no destination or no plan unless getting as far away from the Erasers as possible was the idea. I stared at Shadows through the open window wondering why the infamous assassin would run away from the Organization. Asking her however was out of the question unless I wanted a bullet in the head.

"Hey Shadows, where exactly are we?" I asked coming closer to the window. She seemed to ponder this then shrugged. Great, we had no idea where we were, I was tagging along with Panther Shadows and we had Erasers on our tail.

My life just kept getting worse.

* * *

_**Shadows' POV**_

I had a photographic-memory map of the world in my head except I had no idea where the Organization was so I didn't know our exact location, though I believed we were somewhere near Oregon. Bonus: It was the second week of March roughly three months after the Great Escape that CL Dare Son Air wrote about. Approximately twenty subjects in total escaped because of only seven or six subjects, most of them avian-human hybrids.

Avian-humans (AH), Artemis and all the Copies hated them, and for good reason. The AH hybrids were perfect and successful unlike the rest of us; once the Organization got a hold of one all of its attention turns to that one subject. Even Father of all people would turn his back to me if a Whitecoat thought they caught a AH hybrid. He loved those perfect freaks more than the failer Panther Shadows and I hated it. So naturally I hated the avian-humans too. They were the only subjects that Father didn't keep a secret from me since he talked about them just as much or even more than he talks about me. Tranq could even fly like them though he had no wings; he was more of a success than I was.

Most of the Copies boasted that they had beaten the shit out of a AH once, had they ever describe what the AH looked like? Not at all so for those who actually hadn't seen one had one description for the freaks. Perfect complexion, perfectly skinny, curved body for females, big and muscular for the males; picture perfect smiles, flawless and beautiful hair and eyes. And most of all, unflawed lives. They were graceful, powerful, beautiful and perfectly healthy, no locking joints, vision problems or allergies, not like some of the older Copies.

There was a loud snap underneath my right hand, the solid object grasped in it feeling dis-joined. I had snapped the steering wheel with my hand without triggering the airbag. I pulled the Volkswagen to the shoulder getting out walking casually to Tranq who touched down by the passenger side. While coming around the trunk of the car I noticed the back left tire had popped looking like a tattered rag skewed over the metal rim. I took a deep breath giving the rim a firm kick which popped open the trunk making Tranq jump as the trunk swung up. "How the heck did you do that?" He said getting over his scare. I didn't pay attention peering into the truck. There was a large red jack, a black long and narrow case, a large backpack with a nylon sheath that had a handle sticking out of it tied to one side, a pair of boots and an outfit that had leaves, sticks, twigs and other forest things on it making it a ideal set of clothes to camouflage in. "What's the case?" Tranq asked over my shoulder. I moved the bag off of the case flipping open the clamps, lifting open the lid. "Oh."

Inside was a hunting rifle, one that I hadn't seen before, with three containers full of bullets. I closed the case while Tranq opened the backpack taking the stuff up. The sheath, had a machete for backpacking that was slightly sharper than it needed to be that I attached to the belt we found in the backpack. Inside the backpack was quite a bit of imperishable foods, some rope, two harnesses, a self repelling device, fire starter, camp knife, something Tranq said was a Swiss Army knife, a map, a compass and keys. Tranq took the clothes and got changed behind a tree, rolling the pant legs and sleeves up, having to use the belt to hold the overlarge pants up. The combat boots were quite small which was good for Tranq, the machete not too long for him. Being the paranoid kid he was Tranq suggested we put the harnesses on just in case. I got rid of my cloak putting on my long coat instead, the harness invisible underneath my second layer of clothes except my pants that looked tight against my body. Opening the case again I put the rifle so the strap rested against my right shoulder and my back, Tranq slipped the backpack over his small shoulders looking through the car for anything we could use.

"Shadows you left something." He said pulling out the messenger bag I had left in there after getting my clothes out. Having a bad feeling of putting CL's books in the backpack I just took the messenger bag from Tranq slinging it over my left shoulder feeling slightly heavier with all my stuff. After packing the three containers of bullets away we set off through the forest to find some place to safely stop and find our bearings. "So from this map," Tranq said looking at the map as we trekked, "We should be somewhere in the Oregon mountain area. Oregon... I think the city I use to be in is just a couple miles from here." He muttered to himself. Two hours later Tranq spotted a cave about seventeen feet up a rock face, hidden by heavy foliage. Armed with a machete Tranq flew up to check it out as I free climbed up the rock wall. The place could hold fifty Copies with a crevice that could let out smoke on the roof above, I couldn't see it until we got close enough so it was pretty well hidden and it gave us shelter from wind and rain at the back.

I nodded, silently telling Tranq we were good. I sat against the rock while Tranq went to get firewood loading the rifle taking out the small brief case Artemis had left at my door. Opening it up I found something... strange to say the least. There was a screen on the lid, then a mini keyboard that had pause, play, stop, eject and so on, to the right hand corner was a little mouse ball with a tiny disk slot jutting out from underneath it. On the left was a plastic lid that arched over, small disks going the length of the case. One disk was taped in the corner of the screen, '**WATCH** **THIS**' written on the tape in permanent black bold, capital letters. Carefully I took the tape off, sliding the disk into the slot pressing the 'on' button. The thing hummed, vibrating ever so slightly on my lap. The screen glowed to life in soft black and white picture, Artemis' face filling most of the screen her maniac smile plastered on her face.

"Hey Shadows just wanted to make sure you didn't _completely_ forget about me. I have a couple of things I want to show you." Artemis said her smile growing.

* * *

"I don't give a damn of what it takes just find her!" The Director roared, the several Whitecoats in his office scrambling out. With a frustrated growled the Director spun himself to the screens that had fourteen hours ago blackened out when Shadows escaped, the one in her room showed it empty. _How_ _could she leave me?_ The Director thought sadly coming closer to the screens. Artemis had been in better moods now that the Director was depressed, smiling her head off and leaving people alone. Shadows had fought against the Erasers he sent to bring her home though the buffoons of Erasers were half to blame for not calmly asking her to come. _When_ _we finally figure out how to create the Era-droids those Erasers will be eliminated. Those bastards can't work peacefully unlike Era-droids where you can_ _program them to do whatever you want_ the Director though a smile creeping across his face.

"Come in." He said before the knock, the door sliding open. "Sir there's something I would like you to see. We've come up with a new kind of technology." The woman behind the Director said. The Director spun around slowly raising his eyebrows.

"What kind of technology?"

"Nano, one billionth of a meter in size, when we put a couple thousand in a cat and we were able to grow a arm on it by giving the nano-machines a command." The women reported. "Yes, do let me see this." The Director said. He followed after the woman with two of the more reliable Erasers at his sides. They went down the hall into the elevator going down to the 19th floor, the doors opening with a ding revealing many excited Whitecoats chatting in the hall. The woman took lead again, the Director now beside her until they turned the corner when someone called out to them.

"Excuse me, sir." A calm voice said.

"Ah now someone who might give me some answers." The Director said stopping. Long black hair pulled into a pony tail swished behind the Erasers the dark eyes staring at the Director. "Yes Air?"

"Please call me by my real name sir." The boy said, "I wanted to know if I could go after Shadows." The Director shook his head an irritated flashing on the boy's face for a second. "I'm sorry but you're going to have to stay here and put up with Artemis, but I know how you feel. Now can you answer me this one question, why would Shadows run away in the first place?" the Director asked.

"I can't answer that, it's not very characteristic of her to do that I know sir. Why Shadows would run away, and release subjects as well is a complete mystery. The only thing I can think of is that something set her off."

The Director sighed motioning for the scientist beside him to lead the way again. It wasn't until when they got to the door further down the hallway when the Director remembered his manners. "Good day Ari." He said entering the nano-technology room.

* * *

A/N: This part was really supposed to be during _Prologue Part II: Riots at Hell's Gates_ but I didn't want to make the chapter too long. _Chapter V_ will continue from the past; I'm sorry that it's confusing and if you know a reader-friendly format then tell me please! Sorry it took so long!

_**Akiko**_

_Microsoft page count for chapter: 14_


	7. Savours Of A Killer

**Assassination of Memories  
Chapter V – Savours Of A Killer  
**_As per usual I don't own Maximum Ride or the Pretender characters and for that matter the nano-technology idea_

**Warning: ****This chapter is **_**insanely**_** long; make sure you have some time on your hands so you don't have to come back to it later!**

_Remember Twihards, this had __nothing__ to do with Twilight _

**Present POV  
**_**Past POV**_

_Thanks for all of you who read, review and favour this story, I love and will try to fit in your suggestions and ideas if you've got any_

_*****Flashback Continues*****_

_**Shadows' POV**_

I stretched, cramped from the hard bark I was sleeping on. On a thick branch in a large Douglas fir facing away from the trunk Tranq slept, his arms and legs dangling from the branch his mouth ajar. The night before we slept in the cave, we had to get moving and trekked throughout the forest for the second day, stopping only to rest and slept in trees last night considering we weren't able to find a cave or something else. The bags and rifle was handing from the branch above me, my stomach growled at the realization that we had no food having eaten it yesterday. Jumping down from the tree I walked to the slow running river not too far from where Tranq was sleeping, I stripped my clothes off and dove into the water. It was... colder than the showers at the Organization freezing me to my core, my teeth rattled together while I waded around in the greeny blue water. The water felt nice after a while, coming just over my collar bone cleaning of blood and grim from the past two days. The 'war wounds' from my fight with the mountain wolf stung slightly, most of the scratches were gone except the claw marks on my ankle and the bite on my upper left arm that was healing dark pink. Other than those developing scars there was more, one on my right shoulder at the back that looked more or less like a bullet wound that long ago happened that I didn't remember. There were claw shaped scars on my hips, thighs and back, not to mention the stick thick one that was at the base of my neck where it connected to my shoulder that shirts hid.

Taking a deep breath I went under, opening my eyes to see the fish that bravely swam close to me. I could feel them move the water a couple feet away from me, under the water my sense of smell died, my hearing enhanced. I could hear their tail fins swishing the water as they swam; a kind of almost muffled gritting noise followed the sand being turned up when they glided near the mixed rock/sand riverbed. Pushing off the riverbed I quickly shot towards the fishes lashing out with a stick I picked up. The school of fish darted off in different directions then grouping back together further away. I blew out in irritation a small amount of bubbles streamed to the surface. Squinting at the fuzzy shapes of the fish and grasping the stick in my hand I slowly moved towards the school determined to spear a fish. Moving at turtle's pace I raised my arm out of the water, aiming the stick towards the fish. As I neared they got restless, confused with their own instincts.

My foot came down harder than expected stirring up dirt. I froze, the fish flinched stopping their movement for a second before relaxing in the same instant I struck. The school scattered once again the one on the stick gave a last attempt to free himself. I broke the surface holding the fish above the water presenting my catch with a smirk on my face. The large blue fish flopped limp, the smell making me disgusted and hungry at the same time. I opened my mouth to bite down on it, stopped then rapidly picked up a rock from the riverbed spinning around. Tranq just passed the tree, the rock colliding with his head a millisecond after he passed the only thing that shielded his eyes from me.

He cried out hitting the ground with a heavy _**thump**_, I swiftly ducked into the water so my nose was just above it narrowing my eyes at him. He apologized his back turned to me awaiting another rock to be hurled at his head. "What is so wrong—" I saw Tranq eyed my clothes that I had thrown into a pile on a large boulder his face flaming red. Eight apologies poured out of his mouth embarrassment radiating off of him. "I didn't know, I'm so sor—" I threw another rock at his head to stop him from saying the word. Tranq bit his lip looking not at me but at the tree he passed. "What are you doing exactly?" he asked. How_ stupid_was this kid?! I glowered at Tranq not in the mood to tell him. "If you're having a bath" -finally!- "then why don't we go to a hotel to stay at?" I kept glaring daggers at Tranq though on the inside I was asking, 'what the hell is a hotel?!' I've heard the word several times before though I had no idea what it was or what it meant. I turned slightly settling farther down in the water so it was just at the bridge of my nose, the boy to my left me sighed.

"Never mind." Tranq left a rustle of fabric making me turn towards his direction. No one was there; Tranq's footsteps retreated back to the 'camp' though hanging on a branch near my clothes was a towel that wasn't there before.

########

"We _need _to find an actual place to sleep at, not a tree or cave." Tranq repeated for the fifteenth time. For the fifteenth time I rolled my eyes not really understanding where he had in mind. Houses belonged to other people, so where did people with no homes go, or did you get a house from somewhere? Father didn't really teach me much, except how to shoot and about different animals, cars, bombs, guns and how to drive. I learned about most of the outside world from things at my target's location and CL's book or even some of the Copies, any fighting I learned was courtesy of my teacher that I hated to the core. The last time I saw him was two months ago, I had forgotten what he looked like however sometimes I would get wrenching anger in my gut when I saw some Copies, whether or not any one of them was my teacher I don't know.

"Okay one question, what are we going to do? We can't just keep running around from the Erasers, we have to have a point of... being alive. It doesn't make sense that we're here for no purpose. Do you understand what I'm saying?" Tranq inquired looking up at me. I shook my head.

"Wonderful." He muttered under his breath.

I stopped for a second just to check around for Copies when I smelt something. I turned my head towards the left flaring my nostrils to check that I was right. Tranq came to a halt staring at me in curiosity then looked where I gazed. I lowered my head taking a stiff; there it was again, that familiar and somewhat comfortable smell. Silently I followed it, slowly and cautiously till it was heavy in the area. Tranq, staying quiet beside me jaw-dropped at the huge cat in front of us, his eyes widening. Puma, or mountain lion depending on what you want to call it, adult female, she was a beautiful animal with claws made for attacks and great back legs to pounce on her pray and to jump greater heights. She knew we were there, turning her head towards us and looking straight at me. I looked calmly back judging that she was trying to figure if we were a threat or not by her ridged form. I'd never seen such a beautiful animal in my life. I slowly crept forward with Tranq eyeballing me as if I was insane. The mountain lion relaxed a little, her keen eyes trained on my every motion; I crouched three feet away sitting back like I was a cat sitting on its haunches. We stared at each other intently until she let her guard down walking away gracefully a 'follow' vibe coming off her.

I stood trailed behind a ways to give her room; unlike humans she didn't glance back to make sure I was following her. I too didn't have to look back to know Tranq was tagging along behind hesitantly as we started up a more rock terrain. Effortlessly the puma trotted uphill, with a little more thought I came after, Tranq having to speed up to stay with us. Soon the rocks became larger the mountain lion pushed off with her back legs to drive herself farther when larger obstacles presented themselves. I jumped from rock to rock, doing it as if I was skiing the mountain lion would slow down to make it easier for me while Tranq flew in behind. We got the top of the climb with more forest however the difference was much greater. Humans had never stepped foot here, I could smell it; instead different smells I didn't recognize scattered the area. The puma jumped to a high ledge now leaving us on our own.

"Well it's not every day something like _that _happens." Tranq said landing beside me. "Okay so what's up here?" I could smell a lake maybe a mile away surrounded by... was that brimstone? The ledge above smelt of more rocky caves, not like the bat cave we slept in two days ago but actual tunnels, the surrounding forest inhabited mostly by wolves, deer, scaly smelling creatures and a sickening sweet scent that made my insides coil with hatred as well as another smell I couldn't describe. "A lake, no humans and caves." I said unemotionally point blank. "Is it just me or is that the first time you've really answered a question?" in response I slapped Tranq up-side the head. But he was still smiling, "Now we're getting somewhere with you, alright so let's find some place to sleep!" I thought he didn't want trees or bat caves, I rolled my eyes. "_Whaaaat_?" Tranq said as I walked away. I smirked shaking my head. I immediately changed directions as the sickening scent got intense, heading towards the wolves so we could go around the creatures that smelled too sweet to get to the lake. "Okay since you answered that one you should be able to answer any other questions I have. I am talking English here." Tranq grinned. "Hey I smell something, well weird."

I smelt it too, ten times better than him and it was coming straight for us. I tackled Tranq down knocking the breath out of him, the nauseating smelling creature bypassed over where Tranq's head had been. Dirt kicked up as it skidded to a halt, the bright yellow-green eyes narrowing at me. I doubted it was an avian-human, all that I knew was I hated it to my gut. Defiantly male, beautiful, looked around thirty with perfect straw coloured jaw length hair and ghost white skin; he bared his teeth with a growl revealing some large canines. For the second time Tranq's jaw dropped, his eyes widening in fear and awe. Whatever this creature was was making me sick with hatred. What happened next took less than three seconds.

I launched forward changing form, my body becoming longer and more agile, black fur covered my body replacing my clothes and anything else I was wearing except for a blood red dog tag that hung from my neck. The creature smelled even worse this way; I bared my own teeth biting down on his side. However my teeth didn't sink far, it felt like very hard caramel not like the bodies of Copies and humans; his smell overwhelmed my nose 'blinding' it. An irritated snarl erupted from his mouth and he darted towards my vulnerable neck.

With a yowl I somehow batted the beast away, collapsing to the ground where my body arched at an unnatural angle. My neck burned, the pain gradually increased to an unbearable amount; my form became smaller yet still furry. Pain blurred my vision becoming black around the edges, my brain feeling like it was going to explode inside my skull. A pair of arms gathered me up, ice blocks against the fire. All I knew was I was being carried away by someone, a distant voice speaking gibberish before I faded from reality.

* * *

_**Tranq's POV**_

My body screamed at me to stop running, to rest for a while to get energy before using up my back up supply. I couldn't listen, I had to help Shadows. Her cat body trembled violently in my arms her violet eyes rolled in the back of her head. I was scared beyond belief, all I could do was hope that hitting the large tree down on top of the guy and pinning his arms would give me enough time to get out of here. Right now, as I panicked, flying was impossible, I couldn't even lift off the ground. My mind spun with images of a dead Shadows that I tried hopelessly to repress. When I first saw the guy I was mentally correcting Shadows that there were indeed people here. Though the assassin had still technically been right; there were no _humans_, because this guy was clearly not human. And I knew what he was, making the images even more horrific. When I had become a Bhairavi I just knew things and what I was, I had a feeling I knew what Shadows was when I met her, I knew what this thing chasing us was. Three words echoed in my head.

We. Needed. _Help_.

Pain exploded in my back as I was hurdled through the air, Shadows' flying out of my arms. I hit the ground in a painful skid while Shadows' small cat frame crumpled at the base of an oak. The guy was a blur speeding right to Shadows the horrible images in my mind becoming more vivid.

It was a miracle that something ran right into the guy knocking him down for a six feet slide. Another guy almost twenty stood to his full height, dark skinned and dark eyed with dark hair brown that went half way down his neck. He was quite muscular wearing only an old pair of ripped faded blue jeans that had become ragged and blood stained. He shot forward ploughing into the other man with great force driving the canine toothed beast into a tree. The wood snapped viciously at the large dent created in the tree, an inhumanly shriek filled my ears. _You have got to be kidding me_ I thought levering myself onto all fours, _Just like in the _movies_!?_ _I would think there would be more extreme lengths to go to. _

The darker guy jumped back from the creature's strike, his dark eyes locking on mine. He saw the sheath; he glanced ever so slightly up a tree then jumped out of the way of the creature's destructive path that tore down three trees on the way. I looked up where the dark guy had gazed at, seeing quite a long sturdy branch with a blunt point. He has got to be kidding. I scampered up the tree, looping my legs around the branch when I got up. I took the machete in both hands carefully gripping the flat side then started carving a point on the branch with the overly large knife. I was just on the second stroke when mean and...handsome (which does not work to the least bit) came back giving a swift kick to the dark guy's shoulder. I heard a _**CRACK**_,a howl of pain, looking up in time to see the dark guy fall to the ground with a repulsive looking large dark black spot where Mr. Beauty hit. I went as fast as I could sharpening the branch and jumped off catching Mr. Savour's attention. Somehow the man got up in a flash and heaved Mr. Beauty into the air straight for the stick. There was a muffled _spurk _making my stomach churn, I quickly turned away the noise was all I could handle. For a few seconds there was silence until the nails on chalk board shrill filled the air. Wincing I put my hands on my ears to no avail; Mr. Savour cringed at the sound. The dreadful noise faded away my ears were just ringing from it; 'ow' would have been an underestimate. Moments passed like years, the dark guy looking behind me where the dead man now hung making my stomach do another violent flip.

The stranger turned putting two fingers in his mouth giving a whistle, another person appeared, quickly picked up Shadows' and left. I stepped forward to stop what was happening instead flinched back when the dark stranger turned an intense gaze to me. "But—" I started just to have him put a hand up. "Do not worry about your friend. She will be alright." He said calmly with a sympathetic smile. How did he know... Okay know what, nothing surprises me anymore! I just stood in silence staring at this stranger hoping to God that I could trust him. "I would believe that you would question what's happening here because at first we thought a human had found their way up here until your scents proved us wrong. Any humans have been wiped out by the leaches a long time ago, when we came up here there was only faint traces of them." The guy said.

"And what do you mean by _we_"? I asked cautiously. "My brother, Willow, Katrina and I." He answered. "Then your name would be...?"

"Cain."

"Dune." I lied to which Cain smiled. "You are a bad liar Bhairavi." Crap this guy was good! "Tranq, my name's Tranq." I said glancing around Cain where one of his friends had taken off with Shadows. "The reason why I said you're a bad lair is because Bhairavi don't have names," well that's probably the reason for the whole whack load of numbers that the Whitecoats remembered me by, "How did you obtain one?" Cain asked as I started to walk to where I thought Shadows was. "Um, Shadows gave me the name." I replied accidentally giving away Shadows name; whoops! "Your friend gave it to you?"

I nodded in response while Cain started to lead at my side. "Well she was much treating you like an actual human." My walk paused slightly yet I still kept going staring at the ground following Cain's light footsteps. He was right again; Shadows had treated me like a human. Even when I was living on the streets everyone treated me like a rat, well except for one girl I met in a park just before I was captured. Shadows had given me a name and even though she tried to leave without me once after that she stayed with me. Shadows had saved me from the Organization, she even drove me away from there afterward. I couldn't believe I hadn't notice before, it made me guilty for not noticing this kindness that Shadows herself probably didn't see. "Cain what's going to happen to Shadows?" I asked. Now I wanted to help, to do anything I could to help her. "Well we need to stop any of the poison from spreading through her blood stream; I believe Willow has already started to cleanse your friend from the poison." Cain assured me. "Wow you sounded slightly like a priest there, the word 'cleanse' always seemed religious to me." I said trying to get a little humour to lighten up my spirits.

Cain chuckled nodding with a grin on his face, "Ah yes I think it sounds religious too." For no apparent reason my stomach did another flip making me feel sick. I stopped holding my aching stomach. What the heck? Oh man I didn't feel good. My knees buckled underneath me and my back met the ground. I rolled into a ball moaning, trembling slightly. "Tranq? Are you alright boy?" Cain asked. The only thing I could think of in my pounding head was instant fever, either that or my DNA was unravelling like I had seen happen to most experiments or it was the H1N1 virus the Whitecoats had been squawking about recently. Cain helped me up which made me feel insanely seasick, putting me onto his back and downright sprinting like he was in a race towards where I thought the caves were. I closed my eyes although that made it worse, the next thing I know is that the sun was getting dark, fast.

I opened my eyes a crack to see I wasn't going insane; since Cain was descending down through a cave in a hurry it was getting darker. It stayed light to which I became aware of the small homemade torches lining the wall. Little shrubs plus patches of grass dotted the floor some even blooming brightly coloured flowers. A series of graceful and foreign words poured out of Cain's mouth all of which I understood. He was telling someone that he was bring me, filled them in on anything I told him and also rallied out my condition. A more feminine voice answered back in the strange language I could comprehend asking more questions. Cain entered into a large cavern that was bathed in light from more homemade torches and even some candles, a woman around Cain's age or maybe younger was making what looked like a makeshift bed out of ferns, moss and other soft plants. She was wearing a shirt that had become a little too short donning a pair of ripped capris. Her shoulder length light red hair stuck to her face, the bangs being blown out of the way every couple moments. Her ocean coloured eyes worriedly looked me over, her tanned hands gently helped Cain put me down on the improvised bed and took off the cargo from my back. She put the back of her hand on my forehead telling Cain in the same language to get some cold water. I was glad to be lying down, but being on my side would be nice.

She wouldn't let me.

In ways she reminded me or Shadows, this girl here was as suborned to make me stay on my back as Shadows was not to answer my questions. I heard her sniff, and yes you heard right, sniff. Not like a wet slobbery sniff, more of a small slight one like a cat. She gently took hold of my arm taking a sharp intake of breath. I could see why, there was a cut as long as my finger on my lower arm that was bleeding in addition the sides had turned a seaweed green. Oh that can't be good...

At the sight of the cut my stomach gave a violent lurch making me moan loudly, the woman quickly helped me up to a small hole that had filled with dripping water in which I heaved up my guts. I felt kinda better if that was even possible, leaning against the rock wall taking a deep breath. The woman brought a small wooden cup up to my mouth helping me take a drink. Whatever it was it was warm and sweet so I gratefully drank it up a little discouraged when I was finished. She smiled sweetly putting a hand on my face before helping me up again to the plant bed. I laid down closing my eyes taking another deep breath. Where was I, what happened to Shadows, was she okay, who were these people? So many questions like these floated around my head while I wavered in and out of consciousness. All the while the woman stayed with me, putting a wet cloth on my head once Cain had brought the water, ever so often letting me have another chug of the sweet warm drink. A little voice inside my head said not to trust them though would the Organization help me then do something awful? I was sure about the awful part but I did know they wouldn't help me and nurse me back to health before or after doing something dreadful to me.

###################

I woke up to a shriek God knows how long after my last drink. I bolted up right when the sound pierced my ears; wincing as well wondering what sick thing the Whitecoats had done to a subject. Of course I had completely forgotten that I was out of the Organization since I was quite slow when I wake up thankfully the rock walls and floors reminded me all too well of what happened before. Most of the torches had died out now, the woman and Cain both were nowhere to be seen. Taking the brightest torch I could find I cautiously made my way down the other tunnel I had seen when I came, grabbing the backpack and the sheathed machete on the way. The walls slightly glistened against the torch's light; some roots had pushed their way through the rock, hanging down from the ceiling like spikes.

Okay let's see here: Shadows was fatally injured plus taken by some stranger, I got sick, got carried down to caves I don't know how to navigate and was left here alone with something that's shrieking and possibly dangerous creatures.

Does anyone see anything _wrong_ with this picture?

Not giving much thought to that I continued on hopeful I was going to run into Cain or the woman really soon. One thing I needed to do was to make sure Shadows is okay; yes Cain told me she was going to be fine but gut feeling told me that she was the one that woke me up just now. Then I ran into a problem. "Great two tunnels, what am I going now?" I muttered to myself glancing down the equally dark tunnels. "Alright then, eeny, meany, miney, mo." I pointed down the left tunnel feeling uneasy. Trekking on I got a squeamish feeling in my stomach, my mind spinning. The tunnel was getting, well, smaller or maybe it was just me. It felt like the walls were closing in like my cage had always felt making me way over a little paranoid. I tighten my grip on the torch stick if I had to use it as a weapon slowly coming to a bend with light, peeking around. The one I had been worrying about the most was there lying on a lifted plant bed, the unemotional mask slipped to show pain on her face. Cain was there with a man that looked older than him and another woman I didn't know, the woman I hadn't seen before was treating human-form Shadows. The assassin's jaw was firmly locked, her eyes closed, every muscle tightened; now she looked weak yet at the same time strong. Another shriek filled the air and I realized it came from Shadows making me entirely guilty despite the fact that it only last three seconds. That thing had come after me not her, still she pushed me down, once again saving my life and now she was in pain because of it. The noise died down but something else replaced it.

"Get out from behind the rock, coward."

I jumped startled that Shadows knew I was here. The last part had been muttered slightly to herself though she still sounded as pained as she looked. I got rid of the torch coming into the light; Cain gave me a sympathetic smile again. "You are alright Tranq are you not?" He said. "Yeah, I'm good." I risked a glance at my cut. It was gone, just a light pink line now. "That leach somehow scratched you with his teeth, now how the hell did that happen?" The other man said and Cain reminded the man to watch it with the swearwords. Well before I hit the tree down I sorta stopped him from attacking Shadows, "I have no clue." I lied. This time Cain didn't pick it out. Shadows eyes opened and she looked at my. "Look like crap." She told me with a smirk that looked hard to put on her face. Maybe the poison was getting to her head, because one) Shadows spoke to me twice, and two) she seemed almost happy to see me. Other than that and her pain Shadows was fine.

"I'm sorry we left you but your friend here needed more attention." Cain apologized; as a consequence Shadows glared at him. Maybe she wasn't in good enough condition to shoot or throw a rock at him. "No that's fine; Shadows probably needed more care than I did." I said. Pain flashed across Shadows' face then disappeared with her settling down in a cringe. "Well she's getting better. From the look of things she should be able to move around just after noon." The woman said. "Make that right before." Shadows muttered. The woman's mouth opened though closed it when Cain put a hand on her shoulder, "Katrina please, she heals much faster than us, however slower than Tranq here who was well within three hours of coming to the den. I don't suspect anything less from the stubborn Shadows." Man someone needed to tell Cain to watch what he says seeing as Shadows had a death glare on her face I think Cain was going to have more than bruises when Shadows could stand. "Ah yes, Tranq this is Katrina," the woman who had been tending to Shadows, "and my older brother Giles," the man standing at the back gave me a sharp two finger salute. Katrina seemed almost as tall as Cain with a darker complexion than the woman who had watched over me who I believed to be Willow. Her short, shaggy chocolate brown hair fell in front of her almost white eyes; two pale grey circles were the only things that told me where her iris and pupils were since the colour practically blended into the whites of her eyes. Was she blind or something? Giles looked a lot like Cain with lighter hair, skin and instead of dark brown eyes Giles had these golden brown eyes that gave me shivers. Katrina was wearing a simple faded jade green dress and Giles, like his younger brother was only wearing pants.

"Of course you've met Willow already." Cain said so I asked where she was. Apparently she was keeping watch for any more people that came up the mountain by Mountain Lion Express. Shadows listened intently while the other three chattered to each other, her ears perked when Giles started to tell stories that were hard to depict whether or not they were true. I laid on the ground with my hands behind my head letting the words go in one ear and out the other. Shadows glanced over to me once she got bored looking up pass me. Cranking my head upside down I saw the rifle and Shadows' messenger bag propped up against the wall. She probably wanted her bag.

I got up quietly shuffling over and grabbed the bag taking a quick peek inside before going back to the assassin. Inside the bag was a small metal briefcase, two books and a metal box that was probably heavily supplied with bullets. Shadows' gun was in there, I finally got a chance to see it up close. _Zephyr_ was engraved on both sides of the black pistol; at the bottom of the handle was a string that had a medium sized hawk feather attached to it, a dark brown bead strung over the stiffer part of the feather. Good luck charm or personalization? I sat down beside Shadows opening the bag allowing her to pick out what she wanted. Out came the smaller of the two books where Shadows flipped through looking for something. From over her shoulder I saw what it was about. "Peter Pan, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Robin Hood, Snow White... Winnie the Pooh?!" I listed some out loud. She was reading these kinds of stories, that didn't make sense at all! Even in her calmness I could see the question on Shadows' face, she was wondering if I knew the stories. "Why are you reading baby stuff Shadows? I wouldn't say that this would be the kind of stuff you'd read." I said.

"Read to me."

Remember when I said nothing surprised me anymore, well I lied. I was thoroughly shocked; Shadows hadn't told me to read to her, she said it in a questioning tone. She wanted me to read to her from this book. "One question before that, where did you get this book?" I asked sincerely. "Found it. Read." Shadows repeated. "Which one?"

Before I knew it I was reading the story of Robin Hood to Shadows, followed by Sword in the Stone and Tarzan. Shadows looked over my shoulder as I read looking at the pictures that appeared on page. I was wondering how a book this small could have so many stories, the answer simple and plain: shortened versions. I strayed away from the last story as I got into telling my own while Shadows listened as intently to me as she had to Giles. Most were of ones I heard on the street, some I just talked about what happened in my life getting nods from my listener ever so often. "So what about you, feel like talking or am I going to have to get use to the silence?" I questioned. I felt like she had opened up to me more than she had to anyone else even though I've only known Shadows for a couple days. "Father never told me this kind of like existed outside of the Organization, all I knew was that you did not questioned what Father said. I had never questioned it and just did my job. I barely looked at things from houses I had been to so I thought that everyone was just living. When you said we all had a purpose I didn't understand you." Shadows said vacantly. "Why did you run away? Out here you don't have a permanent place to stay, food or clothes. You had that at the Organization; you even had a motorcycle not to mention a gun." I poked.

"I was living a lie."

We both sat in silence, the happy voices of the three people barely reaching our ears. Shadows eyes were emotionless and dead for a while until annoyance flashed in the electric blue orbs as if she was remembering a memory. "Father did not have the slightest notion of tell me that the Organization was conduction experiments on humans, or the fact that most of the 'threats' could do just about nothing against him. If it wasn't for CL's book I wouldn't have known anything and kept on living that obvious lie." If possible Shadows sound angry in addition to calm at the same time. So someone made a book about what was happening in the Organization allowing Shadows to figure out that this Father person was lying to her. "And here I thought my life was bad." I sighed. Though I wasn't expecting what happened next.

"I named you Tranq because I knew that the tranquilizer wasn't going to affect you."

"How did you know?"

...

"I can see the future."

I looked at Shadows, checking her face to see if she was pulling my leg. My leg wasn't being pulled; her face was as serious as a court room judge, still _some _things weren't surprising me. "I wouldn't suspect anything less from you Shadows. I thought that you'd have a 'special gift' of some kind." I gave her a weak smile. With a sharp nod Shadows sat up taking her bag placing the story book in it, slipping _Zephyr_ into its gun holster. "Please don't get up, you still need to heal." Katrina said however not as a suggestion, more of a command. "Kat just leave it." Giles told her. "Come on, she's well now Katrina," I turned to see Willow standing at the entrance to the cavern we were in, "Let them do what they want." I turned to Shadows.

"Ya, what are we going to do next?"

* * *

_**Shadows' POV**_

"This is all you asked for." Cain said his head swivelling towards me. I stared back at him with a calm face and a smug smile. Yes this is all I asked; and I felt like I had a purpose. Tranq try to wrestle a piece of deer away from the large chestnut brown wolf that playfully growled at him. "Giles this is my piece!" he objected with a final tug that sent the wolf into a summersault knocking Tranq over. A sleeker dirt red wolf that was smaller than the first rolled her eyes giving the shaggy grey-black female wolf behind her a light kick with a back foot. They had allowed Tranq and I to come on a hunting trip which I had requested though Tranq had to keep his eyes off the head of any of the catch. They were Lycans, more commonly known as werewolves; Cain was the Alpha of the pack however stayed in his human form to personally teach me how to hunt like them or with a bow and arrow or even a knife. So far they had caught mostly deer, Cain only allowed me to catch a rabbit which I skinned and gave to Tranq. Therefore Tranq being Tranq he unsurprisingly made a fire that was now cooking the rabbit on a stick.

Willow –the dirt red wolf– shared her kill with me that I was eating raw. I ripped another piece off the chunk I had picked out watching as the shaggy grey-black Katrina stole the large piece of deer from Tranq and Giles running off with it. Giles snarled, Tranq cried out in protest at the same time, the pair chased after Katrina. I was sitting on a large stump cross-legged, the rifle slung across my back, the story book propped open on my lap, the story of Aladdin and the Lamp staring me in the face. My favourite would have to be either Robin Hood or Peter Pan, the master theft amused me, the boy that wouldn't grow up fascinated my imagination that I recently realized I had. "So you didn't know anything before about hunting?" Cain asked with a strange look on his face. I gave a sharp nod to verify his knowledge.

"That is a strange predicament indeed." He muttered to himself. I didn't care, all I knew was once we were done resting I would ask where the nearest city is and leave whether or not Tranq was coming with me. Though whenever I thought of leaving Cain's pack I had a weird feeling, I knew very well what it was trying to tell my, naturally I was going to ignore it like everything else. Willow howled to notify Giles Tranq's rabbit was done; looking sour Tranq lumbered back seeing me roll my eyes. "Katrina ate my piece." He whined. I hope to God he wouldn't come with me.

We needed to go; I had a bad feeling of staying. "Where's the nearest city?" I asked blankly. "Hmm, I don't know though I believe that the Bachelor ski village is close by." Cain answered. "We're leaving now!?" Tranq said past his rabbit. "Don't come if you don't want too." I told him dog-earing the page I was on stuffing the book back into my bag eating the last of my piece of meat. Tranq's gazed moved from me to all of Cain's pack ending back at me. I gathered my bag onto my shoulder staring at Tranq for his answer.

"Can we come back some time?" he finally asked. I thought it over for a second before rolling my eyes giving him a swift nod; Tranq jumped up getting the back pack from Willow's back. "Feel free to visit any time." Cain said, Giles growled a little making Cain sigh. "Except on September 12th, Giles' birthday." Cain added with a shake of his head. All I did was give them all a nod, flowing out of the clearing we were in with Tranq in a little unpleasant mood behind me as he waved good bye. He opened his mouth but thought better of it shutting it quickly, staring at the ground while we walked.

#########

It was a chilled afternoon, mist still cover the ground in a thick layer; the mountains tips that reached for the sky were stemming heaps against the sun. The trees were a mixture of pink and white buds; some of the trees had even blossomed. We had been walking for quite some time now, all the long I had stared at the trees wondering why they were acting like flowers. Tranq looked around his eyes characteristically wide at the scenery, "Wow, I wouldn't think it'd be like this in the mountains." He murmured. I couldn't help but nod since he was right. However maybe we should have been paying attention to where we were _going_ instead of what was _around_us. Suddenly the ground fell out from underneath us; I dropped underneath the mist down a hill. "AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!" Tranq yelled as he rolled head over heels down the steep rock-jagged hill. I didn't have that kind of style; I was log rolling with my arms flinging all over until I rolled over them; to my panic the rifle's safety pin somehow lodged out. "Live gun!" I shouted to Tranq who put his hands over his head. A gunshot roared past my ear, wood splintering from a nearby tree. Just a couple hours after I had healed I was getting beaten back up because of our carelessness; another gunshot howled by my head, the ground chipped just before I rolled over it.

And things just kept getting better.

"Shadows— CLIFF!" Tranq hollered from farther away. I tried to focus with my eyes while my sense of smell was tumbled around like laundry in a dryer, on one forward somersault I saw the cliff maybe twenty feet away and getting close fast. Another gunshot, Tranq yelled at me to watch the gun before he got a hole in his head. _Shit, shit, shit, shit_ I thought constantly with every whack of a body part against the hill feeling a searing sting as the back of my lower leg by my left ankle split open slightly. Great _another_ankle wound. "GOD HAVE MERCY!!!" Tranq yelled just before going off the cliff. For the second time the ground fell out from underneath me, I fell head first down facing away from the cliff and saw Tranq holding onto a sturdy branch with one arm, reaching out to me with his other. I stretched for it...

And missed by three inches.

########

I opened my eyes feeling like crap. I had a tight feeling in my side, breathing was difficult. I didn't remember hitting the ground, all I knew was that I had landed and how far down I couldn't tell. The forest was quite except for my almost silent moan as I sat up, the world spun making my head hurt. How long had I been down here? Where was the great annoyance Tranq? _**Where the hell am I?**_ Slowly looking around so the word wouldn't spin out of view again I saw I had landed in the middle of a prickle patch, thankfully there was a hole above my head that was big enough that I fell through it without _any more_ injury. The ground was covered with coarse grass, prickles jutted out at every angle possible while a strong wind blew through the area I was in. The rifle was suspended by prickles too far away for me to reach, my bag hung from a branch that had bravely grown in the prickle patch. I checked the bag, the story book had fallen out yet CL's big book and the case Artemis had given me was still there. _Zephyr's_ luck feather hung out of the gun holster to my relief; out of my pocket I produced some cloth from my cloak that I had kept and covered my new ankle wound that I remembered.

Now that was done I needed to get out of here, however the devils from hell wanted to make my life difficult. In short I could stay standing so Tranq was going to have to find me. I am going to die. Once failed at trying to move prickle branches away I lied on my back staring at the grey cloudy sky that I could see above me. From the look it was probably near three o'clock, a couple miles away from Cain's territory making it impossible for them to come to get me unless they were really good of hearing.

###########

Silence. No paws scurried on dry leaves, no tree rustled. A lone stag nibbled on a bush, unaware of the deadly weapon that was aimed towards it. Breaths tried to be quieted, arms straight and still, body cramped in a statue position. One eye closed, the other trained on the prize that innocently ate, finger at the ready.

A howl pieced the silence, the stag galloping away to the hunter's irritation. The mournful howl reached three other intelligent ears, one of which quickly started running towards the sound, the other stopped in confusion. Other animals perked up at the sound, many other wolves howling along with the sorrowful voice that filled their ears, numerous large cats halted mid-hunt to listen while all prey animals ran to hide.

The owner of the third pair of ears was crouched in a tree, cocking his head to the side ever so slight, a pair of saddened navy blue eyes tearing up at the sound. Lips quivered to stop a sob, a tear ran down a dark brown skinned cheek. "No one understands you. I do, but I can't tell you that." He murmured. No noise was made when he landed on the ground, holding the black cowboy hat on his head.

Mutely he made his way towards the noise knowing that that fear demon would be there first. The faded blue jean jacket provided no camouflage in the forest yet not a living thing saw him while he walked without a sound past the pack of wolves that howled along with the unknown creature that cried with such grief the wolves themselves were saddened. He came up to them putting a comforting hand on the leader the howling lessening as he comforted the mourning pack. Once the pack had quieted other than the downcast whimpers of the wolves he continued on slowly like a funeral procession past the staring mountain cats and the annoyed hunter that was stomping off to go around to the howling.

Once stopped the source was thirty feet away from him, yet the howling had stopped. Above thunder rumbled threatening for a storm a drop of water landing on his face. The rain soon became heavy still he stayed dry watching as a dark shape disappeared and reappeared in two slowly moving away. He followed at a distance to make sure they were going somewhere dry, a over hand from a nearly vertical hill provided shelter for both and he left knowing they would be fine on their own for a while.

#########

"You sure your okay Shade?" Tranq asked his dripping hair clung to his face. I was wet; really wet, giving the boy a swift nod. Tranq had practically dragged my ass out of the prickle patch and all the way to an overhang that was dry. I noticed the nick name quickly and like everything else I didn't really care, Tranq gazed out at the rain, "Man that storm came out of nowhere." He muttered. My clothes, along with his were drenched, already Tranq's teeth started to chatter. "Funny thing I was going in the complete opposite direction that you were at." He laughed nervously. I was so close to dying; I thanked him shortly. "You're welcome Shade. I'm just glad your okay." He smiled at me. _Whatever _I thought staring through the rain.

I blinked at the semi-brightness through the rain sitting up. Tranq was curled up beside me characteristically snoozing away. When in the name of hell did I fall asleep? I rubbed my eyes with the heels of my hand and gave a small silent yawn. Well I was hungry, cold and was going to have a hungry and cold kid on my hands, what could be better? My head throbbed slightly from an oncoming headache; I shivered pulling my knees to my chest wrapping my arms around my legs. My stomach rumbled like the thunder above informing me what I already knew. Sitting in the overhang I realized something that displeased me: life in freedom was not worth it. I had been in pain here, sleeping cold with barely enough food, what was the point? Tranq was right, the Organization gave me what I needed and wanted. Did it matter whether or not I was living a lie when I had food and a place to sleep? Why did I care what the Organization did to other humans if they didn't do anything to me? Why was_ I_ listening to an immature human being in the first place?

Questions I had no answers to racked my brain tearing me from going back to the Organization and staying on the hostile Outside. How many days had we been out of the Organization again, I could not remember. A flash of light outside followed by an angry _**CRACK **_told me the storm was getting closer, the wind picked up blowing rain into the over hang onto Tranq. He woke slowly shivering before he was aware that he was being rained on. Quickly sitting up Tranq scooted as far back from the opening as possible shaking his head sending water flying everywhere getting me wetter. I gave him my famous calm-slash-slightly-pissed look getting a _'whaaaat' _from Tranq. "Feel free to wake me next time, especially when Erasers come." He told me lying down to go back to sleep. He didn't sleep so we both stayed in the overhang for a couple hours until the rain stopped; yet looking back I didn't understand why we didn't go out seeing as a little rain wouldn't kill us. I used my arms to drag myself out from underneath the overhang while Tranq stayed waiting for me to say it was safe, sniffing the air. It was crisp; a human had been close by not to long before the storm started with no sickening sweet smelling creatures or Copies. Once I gave Tranq the okay he immediately came to help me up. I must have landed on my right leg when I dropped, it wouldn't hold my weight unless Tranq helped me limp along. We walked for another couple hours until the sun seemed to go down too early, by now I could limp on my own without Tranq's help. I was impressed that Tranq caught our dinner, feeling less guilty of killing fish than land mammals.

Days went by like years and after losing the back pack we had no way of knowing where we were going, both of us knew we were lost, physically and in our own spirits. I had no idea what day it was, my sense of time had left me. After what seemed like two weeks after we got lost I notice that Tranq was praying every morning, noon and evening; muttering 'thank you' to no one in particular whenever we got food. It didn't take long for Tranq to get use to killing animals for food; he didn't even ask what something was when I gave it to him. Our clothes were caked in blood, dirt and mud, torn to rags. My second layer of clothes were washed as best as we could in a stream and used for bandages for any server cuts, however neither of us could come to getting rid of CL's book. Anything we didn't need (other than the book, the small brief case and _Zephyr_) we left yet we didn't toss the worthless book. Every so often I would predict major storms that happened frequently in our area, though we could never stay dry given that there were no caves. We were tumbleweeds every day, never really stopping unless we were hungry or it had become too dark for my companion to see, sleeping in trees was a big thing with us. The only reason I could think of why we kept the book is because it kept us looking for a town or a city to find CL, if under the circumstances CL would take us in. We couldn't find any humans even though I could smell a male human constantly through our pointless journey, never once did I smell a numerous amount of humans foretelling a town ahead.

Tranq collapsed to the ground with a moan one day, tired and hungry. I had stopped watching him as he laid there wasting away to nothing. _"I'll never let the rocks, cry out, louder than the voice you've given me,"_Tranq had muttered quietly, _"As long as I have breath to breathe, my lips will sing your praise. Until the day in glory when I find the finest melody with words to rhyme. As long as I have breath to breathe, I will sing your praise..." _

"Praying to God never did anything." I had told him coldly. "As Artemis would say we've hit _rock bottom_." Tranq had looked up at me with those dead eyes that I had seen for so long, his face very much blank like mine. "Might as well, other than you only God's listening since we're going to die anyway." He hard-heatedly had shot back. I grasped Tranq's after that collar lifting him off the ground, "Whether you think you can or you think you can't your right, if you keep saying we're going to die we _are_going to die. Now get off your ass, stop complaining and get walking." I stonily said, I had narrowed my eyes at the demon in my grasp. Tranq's dead gaze had dropped from my face, I let go of his collar making him stand just by dropping him. We were both on bad moods I knew, we both had had enough of each other, and if that had continued we'd end up killing each other. Tranq had lost hope; my own was starting to fade, if one of us didn't keep us moving we'd never make it. I knew Tranq didn't have enough energy to fly himself out of here let alone both of us. I wish I wasn't a failer, if I wasn't we'd probably be saved.

We hunted for awhile getting as much as we could out of using my panther form, however it would still not be enough. We were on edge, most likely losing our sanity out here in the woods where we constantly felt like we were being watched, the human scent not helping me in the least bit. I knew Tranq wanted to hear a voice other than my own, craving it like we did food. Many times he would collapse for a minute before following after me. I never stopped for him treating him like a dog that was following me. "And Cain said you treated me like a human." Tranq muttered under his breath one day making me punch him in the face. I left and he didn't follow, instead he went the opposite direction glowering in anger.

I thought of going after Tranq just to make sure he didn't kill himself but thought 'better' of it. What the hell did I care, if he dies then he dies. I soon after found a place to sleep yet found myself climbing to the top of the tree gazing out over the tree tops. Up here the wind made the tops of the trees sway, the mountains hid the sun from full view. A flock of birds flew high above six specks of black against the grey sky flying in loose formations, many more birds flew down lower sparrows bravely flew around me chirping happily until I swatted one out of the sky to which they all scattered. I was surprised that not too far away that my hawk-like vision was not needed I could see Tranq settling high in a tree staring at the sky as well not looking my direction. His face zoomed into focus as if I was looking through binoculars; his face was a mixture of anger and misery. His scent was blown over in my direction I shook my head at my childishness roosting on a large down below the canopy of the trees closing my eyes.

* * *

As Shadows snoozed a distance away Tranq hid inside his anger watching the birds that caught his eye when he scampered up the tree. How could he be so stupid in tagging along with Shadows, the assassin had so much bottled up anger waiting to explode he should have know she would strike him. At first Tranq had been shocked that she'd do that however when the blood had run down his face that shock had been replaced by anger. Had he not save her from that thing before Cain came to help? Had he not helped her walk after she fell off the cliff? Had any little thing he'd done not matter?! The thick branch Tranq had been holding snapped under his hand, the noise startling birds on the ground. Somewhere else the hunter stopped glancing towards the noise of a violent snap bringing his rifle more level with his eye, "Where are you, you damned bastard?" he grumbled slinking towards the source of the noise.

Someone else stopped blinking in confusion wondering what could have made that kind of noise; the cinnamon brown Border collie beside him lifted its head perking its ears. The boy hidden behind the man stared also knowing it was the Bhairavi that did it wondering why she let the demon out of her sight. The man crouched beside the dog scratching its head, "What do you think it is girl?" The dog cocked its head at the man's voice. "Let's go find out."

Even above in the sky the six specks heard the noise, looking at each other in wonder. Should they stop, slow down or just get out of the area as quickly as possible? The leader scanned the land below and decided it would be best to leave, coasting quickly with the rest following closely behind.

The sun descended quickly behind the mountain, enveloping the mountain range in darkness so even the moon dared not to show its glow, a lone wolf howled for its absence. Shadows slept fitfully tossing around on her roost, uncharacteristically mumbling in her sleep.

Suddenly bolting upright Shadows' eyes flashed open as she woke from her nightmare, instantly she knew something was wrong. She wasn't sleeping in a tree; Shadows was on the ground sleeping on dirt and rubble, runes of an old building surrounding her, yet that still wasn't it. Panting Shadows stared at the woman in front of her, eyes wide as the woman turned from her night watch duty. "Oh you're up little angel." Rinslet smiled. The woman as Shadows remembered was small with keen dark green eyes and braided navy blue hair that went halfway down her back. Rinslet was only a couple inches shorter than Shadows and even though the 'woman' looked contrary to it Rinslet was, in fact, much younger than Shadows. "Did you have a bad dream again?" Rinslet asked her smile weakening slightly while the girl stared at Rinslet like it had been forever since Shadows had seen Rinslet. Mistaking the look for fright Rinslet wrapped her arms around Shadows, "Oh little angel don't worry." Rinslet said sweetly. Everything had been a dream Shadows concluded happily, letting the supposed dead Rinslet hug her. "As long as we stick together my little angel, everything will be fine." Rinslet murmured in Shadows' ear to which Shadows' nodded. Little angel, a nick name Rinslet gave Shadows before the girl had a name. Shadows stared at the woman as she pulled away knowing what she was seeing in front of her was true. Rinslet hadn't passed on.

Shadows touched her hair absence minded which was still the same shade it was in her dream however straight/wavy instead of short, jagged and spiked. The pair was in a section of the building that resemblance a hallway only a little lip was left of the roof, bright stars filled the sky where the roof had been. Shadows and Rinslet were out of the way, hidden by a large chunk of wall that had crumbled, a little ways in a full room that had survived. "That's my girl, not letting her guard down even at night." Rinslet said proudly turning her head to watch the two ends of the hallway even the gap for something Shadows couldn't remember. What were they waiting for? Then it dawned on Shadows; they weren't waiting for anything, they were hiding from something. Moving slowly Shadows slid in beside Rinslet, sitting down like a dog would sit on its haunches. "Can't sleep little angel?" Shadows shook her head. Rinslet wrapped an arm around Shadows' shoulder, "That's fine."

_What are we hiding from?_ Shadows thought to herself and that's when she smelled it. _Copies._They were all over the place; glancing up for a second Shadows could see a pair of bloodshot eyes peering down at them. Casually Shadows tapped Rinslet's knee pretending to look down one end of the hallway while Shadows was really trying to figure out if there were any more Copies. They had surrounded Shadows and Rinslet, the only way out would have to be by running into the complete room and knock a hole big enough for both of them to fit through. Shadows tapped Rinslet's knee four times. Rinslet glanced at the room hoping the Copies wouldn't see. Shadows gave Rinslet a sideways glance for less than a second wondering what to do. A series of taps told her.

'_We'll phase through the wall. Count ten seconds then go' _

_Damn can I do that?_ Shadows thought praying she could. One. Two. Three; the Copy above shifted closer. Four. Five. Six, Shadows could see brown around the bends of the hallway from the corner of her eye. Seven. Eight. Nine, the Copies charged.

Pushing off with the balls of her feet Shadows launched herself backwards; putting her hands back she pushed off with those covering the length of the room. Rinslet was by Shadows at all times as they phased through the wall and full out booked it down an intact hallway. Breathing fully Shadows took long strides to keep up with her friend slightly panting. _I wonder..._Shadows leaned forward, her hands hit the ground and Shadows exploded with speed. Now you might be thinking that Shadows rear-end was sticking in the air, which it was not. Racing on her hands and feet Shadows was straight and streamline looking like a dangerous cheetah. She was faster than the Copies overtaking Rinslet who now was a couple feet behind.

"Now how did you learn that?" Rinslet called from behind. _A dream_Shadows thought to herself with a smile. A shriek far back made Shadows skid to a halt. Rinslet morphed desperately trying to lock her teeth on the large Copy on top of her. _No, not again. This can't happen_again, RINSLET_! _

It had all been a dream Shadows had thought, everything since she fell asleep with Rinslet guarding, Rinslet's death, Shadows' training, Tranq, the Organization was supposed to be all a dream when what she was experiencing now was just a nightmare. Blood cover the Copy's mouth and teeth, what remained of Rinslet underneath him. Fury boiled in Shadows' blood as she charged with a roar of mixed agony and rage, ripping the Copy to literal pieces, anger blinding her judgement. Every Copy she came across was slaughtered unmercifully, rage bathed in all murders. Shadows found her way to the top of what was the ruined 34 floor, an inhumanly screech filled the air, a black fire exploded killing all living things in the runes leaving Shadows alone wrath clouding her mind.

With a painful bolt Shadows gripped her head, tears streaking down her face. A nightmare, one that had so frequently visited during Shadows' first week at the Organization. This time it was so vivid she was sure she wasn't dreaming that Rinslet was still alive yet again Shadows had been proven wrong. After that horrible experience Shadows had turned cold, hating the Copies the minute she stepped on the Organization's grounds. As her painful nightmarish dream ended something flashed behind her eyelids making Shadows get to the ground as quickly as possible. A gunshot shrieked in the distance Shadows shrieking along with it.

###########

"You damned bastard, get your ass over here and fight me like a man!" The hunter bellowed another bullet screeching past Tranq's ear. _Are you_ on _something!_Tranq thought, horrified that this hunter was actually hunting _him_. Tranq's boots thudded noisily as he dashed through the forest the hunter tearing after him, bullets screaming in all different directions.

_Going out hunting, going to kill something, don't know what it is  
Maybe a raccoon, maybe a gopher  
Maybe the neighbour's_ kids

_Holy crap Arrogant Worms, __**shut up**__! _Tranq irately thought as the song chose a bad time to randomly pop up. "You make me lose my meat, you pay the price!" the hunter roared like a mad man. 'I doubt that my life should be the price!' Tranq wanted to say but kept his mouth shut in fear of getting a bullet in the head. The boy was tired, he was hungry, and his body couldn't take much more of this. He heard bushes violently rustle as the hunter tried to come round to cut Tranq off. Tranq's foot lodged into an up sticking tree root making him fall face forward in the dirt; he felt his disguise slip for the whole world to see. He desperately tried to get up, on his hands and knees Tranq was horror-struck when he saw the hunter rise from the bushes; one eye closed, the good one trained on Tranq with the rifle raised. "Now I've got you." The hunter muttered in victory pulling the trigger.

"**TRANQ!"**

A hand came down on Tranq's head pushing him down out of the bullet's path, the hunter's eyes widened in surprise. The bullet made its mark, Shadows fist tightened pulling _Zephyr's_ trigger, the hunter collapsed out of sight. With a thud Shadows landed on the ground eyes rolled into the back of her head while _Zephyr_constantly fired until it ran out of bullets. "Shadows!" Tranq cried crawling over to her. Her chest wound bled, coating Tranq's violently trembling hands in dark red blood. "Oh God, no please God no..." Tranq was stuck; he had no idea what to do. A bark made him look up adding to Tranq's horrible luck. The Border collie, seeing Tranq bared its teeth, a low growl coming from its chest. The man that had been in Patterson's truck stood there his dark eyes wide either at Tranq or Shadows. He was quite tall, maybe in his late twenties with dark brown hair that passed his ears his eyes almost childlike. Suddenly Tranq knew this man was the only option left to save Shadows.

"P-please help, she— she's going to die."

* * *

_**Jared's POV**_

I had never seen anything like him in my life before, more accurately I'd never seen something like him in real life, books yes. Anna barked at the boy showing she displeased him very much; my eyes were drawn away from the boy to his hands covered in blood then the teen laying on the ground, eyes closed.

"P-please help, she— she's going to die." The boy's voice choked. Right now I didn't care what he was, this girl needed help. I rushed forward kneeling beside her to see the damage, he pulse was going, she was breath; not good, the bullet entered fairly close to the heart. Anna stopped growling coming to assist in her way by lying down beside the girl for comfort.

"What do we need?" the boy asked me. I turned my gaze to him; his eyes told me he was doing something he shouldn't. Where exactly was he going to get anything I needed? He repeated what he asked with an all serious face. "A stretcher would be ideal," I answered quickly, "Since it would be better for me to treat her at my place." The bat like wings on his back quivered; the boy turned slightly, pointing to a stretcher made of branches and leaves. When did that get there? I mentally kicked myself for rushing ahead; this boy wouldn't be able to help carry this girl. "I might be completely starved but don't underestimate me," he responded when I told him this, "It just depends whether or not you can keep up." I was practically running to keep up with the kid as we hoofed it to my car. Apparently the boy knew the road; the Volkswagen I had passed on the side of the road had been theirs. My doubts were skyrocketing, the girl was around fifteen, the boy that told me his name was Dune couldn't be any older than eight, how could they drive the Volkswagen?

"Well Amberlynn was butchering it up while she drove though she still got it to go more than forty miles away from where we got it." Dune said as we trotted up to the car. With some difficulties I opened the door, leaning the seat back as far as it would go. Anna jumped into the back seat with Dune once we set Amberlynn up on the improv bed belting her in. I shut the door quickly running around the front of the car sliding into my own seat. Closing the door I hurriedly turned the key in the engine putting my seatbelt on at the same time. The blue Kia rumbled to life, smoothly taking off down the empty road. "Where's your place exactly?" Dune asked from the back seat looking completely different. His big hazel eyes had barely any life in them; his pale olive cheeks were ever so slightly shallow. His dark auburn hair was a mess, greasy and full of dirt. His camouflage clothes were torn to pieces providing what looked like no warmth. "A small town called Branklin that isn't even on the map. My house is tucked in the corner of the outskirts of town." I answered looking at Dune through the rear-view mirror for a second. I kept my eyes on the dark road from that point on, foot to the floor gripping the steering wheel tightly. Dune opened his mouth as we went pass the speed limit sign that clearly stated the speed 30 miles an hour. "Speed all you want as long as you get to your place fast." Dune said, Anna gave a bark.

It didn't take long until we had passed Branklin's welcome sign, then the dark semi-residential road towards my house. A moan came from the passenger seat and Amberlynn sat up halfway which I instantly objected to. She glanced around slightly, her eyes meeting Dune's as if to make sure he was there. "Turn right." Amberlynn ordered feebly, using her elbows weakly to prop herself up with all the strength she had left. "I want you to lie down. You've been shot and you shouldn't be straining yourself." I retorted. "Turn right." She ordered more dangerously her shocking electric blue eyes flashing angrily. I rolled my eyes turning right at the next road that wasn't a dead end or a 'round about. It wasn't more than five minutes after I turned left I heard the sound of a crashing car a few blocks up from where we had been driving. My gaze turned to Amberlynn; Dune gave the girl a sideways glance as her eyes flashed vacant. She flopped down into her seat bed unconscious; I floored it as much as I could shooting off towards the house. I would have to ask about that later, if she hadn't have told me to turn we would have crashed into the other car. With a sharp turn I brought the car onto the dirt path to the house, speeding down the windy road. It took a short drive in a long stretch, pebbles kicked up as I slammed the brakes skidding to a halt by the front steps.

"Okay everyone out." I said getting out myself and opening Amberlynn's door. Dune helped me bring the Amberlynn in, I quickly got her off the stretcher and onto the couch after Dune put a blanket that had been lying out down. Dune found the stuff I asked for fairly easy by my directions, setting them down on the coffee table. I pulled Amberlynn's long coat off of her, putting the reasonably intact jacket aside, her shirt was cut aside leaving her in her blood stained tank top. I couldn't see the bullet when I shined my flashlight in it, I turned Amberlynn over freezing. Dune's own eyes widened his mouth dropping. Tightly pulled against Amberlynn's back was a pair of jet black wings, little hints of bright silver looked as if it were randomly drawn on the beautiful wings. Gently I pulled the left one slightly out of the way feeling Amberlynn's back. The bullet had almost gone all the way through, completely missing her heart by the angle it went up her back. She must have been dropping when she was shot I thought to myself taking the needle Dune had hastily bring me when I asked for it. "Later," I said gently pushing the needle in, "You have some explaining to do. And I doubt now that your names are Dune and Amberlynn."

"I don't know where to begin." Dune answered solemnly.

* * *

_**Shadows' POV**_

My head hurt, my nightmare had recurred and I had flashes of being shot and shooting others. What could be better than this? My eyes blinked slowly open adjusting to the light. My head throbbed painfully in time to my heart; I resisted the urge to rub my temples. Wait a minute... Slowly sitting up my coat fell off of me the world spun slightly, I looked around. I was sitting on a couch in a living room, light poured in from the window by a door way that looked like a kitchen. Putting a hand on my face I felt a bandage going around my head, another one went over my left shoulder wrapping around me halfway down my ribs. I was in only my tank top that was stained crimson red, what I carried around on me to show how much a failer I was was becoming cramped against my back.

I had wings and I couldn't fly. I had tried at the Runes just before Rinslet died; I was like an ostrich, I had these wings and I couldn't do anything with them. Where was I, when I woke up in the car, had that all been a dream? Now I wasn't sure whether or not I was asleep or awake. Wait a minute Tranq had been here, a male human around an age of maybe twenty and a dog was here too. They were outside; the open window blew in their scents. Listening I could hear happy barking along with Tranq's laughter. Or at least I thought it was Tranq's laughter, I'd never heard Tranq really laugh.

Grabbing my coat I wrapped it around my shoulders slacking my wings slightly so they weren't cramped but just looked like a slightly large lump on my back with the coat on. Tranq must have gotten help when I was shot, so the man that I smelt clearly had seen my wings; I knew very well that humans didn't have wings yet I was surprised we were still here if the man did know of my wings. Painfully I got off the couch pathetically wobbling to the kitchen and out the open door. It was Patterson's passenger that had shot at the Copies' van; he was playing like a child with Tranq and a cinnamon brown Border collie in the large yard. From here I could see a large barn and stables, forest surrounding the house we were at. The Border collie glanced up and barked happily galloping up to me and doing quick circles around me. "Alas the angel awakes." The man said coming up to me with a smile that filled his eyes. Ah hell more angel shit. "So you must be Shadows, your friend over here as got quite a story." The man said. "Shadows this is Jared, he saved you after you were shot." Tranq said looking tired however he had life in his eyes now. Jared put out a hand, "I've seen some odd things in my life but I've got to say I've never seen anything like you two before. For one you should be up right now, you shouldn't be able to get up until tomorrow."

I shook his hand firmly looking down at the Border collie with a sideways glance. "This is Anna; she's got a lot of energy watch out." Jared warned with a grin. Nice, really nice. "How about we go in for some food, I bet you're starved." Jared said motioning to the door. I smirked; _You don't know the half of it._

Even when I was really hungry I usually would eat casually, now I was some sort of hyena bird creature devouring the food Jared had set out for me. Tranq must have talked to Jared a lot, the man had both cooked and raw steak. "I must warn you I might come down on you with a scientific outlook, many things about you two are so interesting." Jared apologized. Past some of his food Tranq gave me an 'I didn't tell Jared about you-know-what' look. "You were overly luck that the bullet hadn't gone any closer to your heart, you were hanging by a thread there shadows. You even recovered from that shot in less than five hours, you're in perfectly good condition other than the fact that you two almost starved to death," –don't remind me– "By how much you consume it seems you need more than 2000 calories each day." Jared said to me. "Just one question—"

"No, I can't." I uncaringly answered before Jared started asking. Jared seemed taken aback but Tranq reassured the man that I was normally like that. "Hey, um Jared?" Tranq spoke up. "What happened, exactly, to Mr. Patterson?" Jared smiled warmly telling Tranq that Patterson was okay and well. "He was really worried about you two; I called earlier to say you were okay. Don't give me that look Shadows I didn't tell him anything else." Jared promised. _You sure as hell hope not _I thought grimly.

"Shadows, Tranq thought of something I want you to consider. Maybe you two should stay with me; I'll provide you a home and food, Shadows you need to learn more about the outside world and I know both of you need some time to heal." Jared turned to me with a childish grin, "So what about it Shadows, want to join _Jared Rehab_?"

I closed my eyes, thinking over it. Something flashed behind my eyelids; a smirk crossed my face. "When do we start?" I said opening my eyes.

* * *

_Oh the power to be strong  
And the wisdom to be wise  
All these things will come to you in time_

Books laid out in front of me, titles of places in the world, times in history and famous people. A good number of the books were scattered open on the floor, pages highlight and marked. "Shadows, dinner!" Jared called.

_On this journey that you're making  
There'll be answers that you seek  
And it's you that'll climb the mountain  
It's you who'll reach the peek_

People surrounded me in the large place Jared brought us, my large camera with what looked like a freaking telescope on it constantly clicked at the pictures I took. My face was in awe as I watched the everyday things.

_Son of man, look to the sky  
Lift your spirit, set it free  
Someday you won't toy with pride  
Son of man, a man in time you'll be_

Jared had us gathered around, telling us about stuff he did in his life, how even him was all new to this. "Help people to be forgiven for things that you've done. A friend of mine told me that after I escaped."

_Oh, there's no one there to guild you  
No one to take your hand  
But with faith and understanding  
You will journey from boy to man_

Tranq and I gave another heave, the rain spitting down on us as we pushing the horse back onto its feet. We smiled at each other, continuing our survival training in the dust bowl with Jared watching us from the skies.

_Son of man, look to the sky  
Lift your spirit, set it free  
Someday you won't toy with pride  
Son of man, a man in time you'll be_

I lunged forward my foil clashing against Tranq's; stepping back then forward quickly, I made him lose his sword. He gave a kick up; my sword flew through the air. Tranq cart wheeled backwards catching it, "En garde!"

_In learning you will teach  
And in teaching you will learn  
You'll find your place beside the ones you love_

A paint splatter on the face, a sponge at the wall, our paint war continued as we tried to paint my special room. Jared put his green paint coloured hands on my hair, I put a brush of pink in his fatherly face.

_Oh, and all the things you dreamed of  
The visions that you saw  
Well the time is drawing near now  
It's yours to claim it all_

I bolted up right in bed grasping my heart. Damn it all.|I jumped from stable door to stable door, using a broom handle to defend against Tranq's pitch fork. "And I saw that coming, oh he's going to come at me again!"

_Son of man, look to the sky  
Lift your spirit, set it free  
Someday you won't toy with pride  
Son of man, a man in time you'll be_

_Who, daya  
Who, daya  
Who, daya_

_Son of man,  
Son of man is a man for all to see_

I kneeled down in front of Jared, on the school's front grounds. "You've completed your training quickly and efficiently, are you ready?" he asked me. I smiled at him, "Ready as I'll ever be Jared."

_****Flashback Ends****_White Wing: Holy hell that chapter took a long time to write!

* * *

Neofreak: And it's 25 pages on Microsoft including this

_Doesn't help that I had a camp the week before last week and a high school retreat, and at points I had a six feet of solid steel door called Writer's Block! And if you are confused on what the hell is happening time wise here's a timeline for those of you who are in a muck_

The Great Organization Escape (in _Dormant Angel_): Dec 29th  
Serenity's Death: Dec 31st  
Rinslet's Death: Jan 11th  
Shadows' first kill: Jan 18th  
Shadows' Escape: Mar 7th  
Meeting Cain: Mar 10th  
Leaving the Pack: Mar 11th  
Tranq and Shadows Separate: Mar 28th  
Jared Rehab Starts: Mar 29th  
Jared Rehab Completed: Apr 17th

Logan: What are you talking about; the timeline was just as confusing as the chapter itself!

_**Really**__, and does anything make sense in my head? The answer is NO! And if you're confused about the end part it was a written montage of Shadows' time in Jared Rehab, everything wasn't the day after, it was the days in Shadows' 'rehabilitation'_

White Wing: I think they get it now

***Tank falls on White Wing***

(mumbling from under tank)

Tristan: I believe this happens often?

***Everyone nods, Tristan shrugs***

_So let's catch up in my life here, Tuesday the sixth I'm checking out my uncle's old Air Cadet squadron and I'm probably going to join and I recently got a cool book called _Werewolf's Guide To Life, A Manual For The Newly Bitten _, Of course my werewolves can't _really_ turn someone into a werewolf by just biting them_

Neofreak: Do I want to ask how?

_Nope_

Neofreak: Then I won't ***Thinks Akiko's gone insane***

Logan: _(in Neofreak's head) She went insane a looong time ago_

Neofreak: _When _did you get the telepathic powers?

Logan: ***shrugs***Don't know, don't care. And what do the reviewers give a rat's ass about your life Akiko!?

(From under than): Hellooo can _someone help_ me here?

_I know that this chapter was very confusing (like everything I write) and why I didn't mention Shadows' wings sooner was mainly because I wanted to keep it a surprise. And also, read _Dormant Angel_ if you already haven't because it'll get even more confusing later on it you don't_

Logan: This story had too much confusion already for people who _have_ read _Dormant Angel_


	8. Düssel Chase

**Assassination of Memories  
Chapter VI – Düssel Chase**

White Wing: Where the hell is Akiko I have some things I need to tell her!

Jake: How about we all just—

Wolf: Put a cork in it!

Logan: _Another_new character? What the hell is Akiko doing!

Tristan: Calm down Wolf, just because you're a new werewolf doesn't mean you have to flip out

Wolf: ***growls*** Doesn't help that I know I have 'til November 1st when I transform

Neofreak: Can someone tell me what's up with all the vampires and werewolves?

Jake: Akiko's loved vampires since she was nine and she's just started to love werewolves since last year I think. Mostly Akiko would write about half-vamps cuz she thought it would be easier and she loves playing around with werewolves

White Wing: Hey, Wolf right, um you do know that November 1st isn't the full moon right?

Wolf: Mundane

Tristan: Well the thing is that Wolf transforms the night before and after the full moon, all werewolves do. Yet the monthly Moon Transformation isn't like what you saw with Cain's pack, it's a lot more savage

Wolf: Translation, stay away from the desert near Las Vegas November 1st to the 3rd during those nights

White Wing: Wait so you can transform any time and be content?

***Wolf morphs into large wolf***

Wolf: ***snarls***

Neofreak: Maybe _content_ wouldn't be the right word...

Logan: That's a no-brainer

Tristan: Werewolves can tell who's a vampire without even smelling them; vamps just glare at werewolves as if to say 'why the hell were you born'

White Wing: Are you the only one apart from Neofreak that's human Trisen?

Tristan: It's Tristan and yes I am human

White Wing: Alright Trisen, how do you kill a werewolf?

Wolf: ***barks then snarls***

Neofreak: Akiko doesn't own Maximum Ride or Pretender and one character has nothing to do with Ms. Parker from _Dormant Angel_

**

* * *

"You cannot be serious." The Director said staring at the man in front of him. The man was a lousy human, a little chubby with white hair and was quite old. "The Organization has no need for your assistance Mr. Parker; we don't need any of your irresponsible _geniuses_." The Director hissed.**

"Please Sir I would like you to consider this, you see some of _your_ irresponsible geniuses made something that applied to our 'geniuses' could be beneficial for both of us." Mr Parker said in a light matter. "And what would this 'thing' that we made be?" the Director buzzed ready to through the man out.

"Your nano-technology."

"And how, pray tell, did you learn about our nano-technology?" The Director heatedly rumbled. Mr Parker recoiled slightly remembering what Lyle had said about the Director, 'Watch what you say or he _will_ bite your head off. Another thing, don't tell him it was me or a lot of our Sweepers are dead men walking.'

"It was a rumour that someone found out how to create nano machines that can manipulate DNA efficiently yet safely so I came to verify that information. Some of our doctors even have a theory that if applied right could erase memories of the host." The Director perked up at this. _Good I've got his_ _attention_ Mr Parker thought straightening his tie slightly. "Really? So if done correctly... I believe we have some _volunteers_ that would be glad to participate." The Director smiled. Mr Parker nodded in appreciation.

"The Centre is very honoured Director."

* * *

**Shadows' POV**

"Do we have to do this?" I sourly asked holding the foil in my hand. "Come on we've got to do some practicing." Tranq cheerfully said, standing at ready with his hand poised over his head. "Why the roof?" I just as disagreeably added giving a sideways glance to the ground three stories below. The top of the roof had only enough room to keep one foot in front of the other, and yes I would be somewhat alright if I fell however I was already quite injured. Tranq, if he fell would fly right back up again,_ I_ couldn't fly with these wings. That was another reason why I hated the avian-humans, they didn't have freaking problems like I did; I wasn't one of them.

"Stop complaining and _en garde_!" Tranq said giving his foil a swing before lunging at me. The demon didn't have a scratch on him from the mishap at the school now; I slashed out at Tranq, giving him a minor cut that I quickly watched heal in front of my eyes. Minor scrapes and cuts were gone in seconds for him for me they were gone in a minute. Very little things turned into scars for both of us other than the one shaped like a dog bite that Tranq had gotten before the Organization had plucked him off the streets and the really deep injures that I occasionally (though it seemed like always) got.

Tranq clipped me with his foil; the wound looked a minute old already. Usually foils don't have sharp points however Jared took Tranq's favourite activity up a notch. Apparently the Pretender wasn't really a genius, Jared was completely oblivious to the fact that Tranq liked sharp objects, mostly knives, swords and daggers which filled Tranq's special room. Tranq continued to back me up, every two steps backward I could only take one forward as Tranq dangerously and expertly wielded his foil. My foot slipped slightly, Tranq had pushed me to the edge of the flat strip at the tip of the roof. "I win." Tranq smiled victoriously. "Isn't over 'til the fat lady sings." I told him lunging forward stabbing at Tranq's stomach pushing him back. To avoid falling over then rolling down the side of the roof Tranq cart wheeled backwards checking his wound that was probably already healed yet his shirt was spotted with blood. "Nice Shade, at least I remembered not to wear my favourite shirt this time." Tranq said with a grin. I rolled my eyes not in the least impressed lunging forward at Tranq again. The foils clang rung in my ears, echoing in my head what Jared had taught us.

"_It's most simply a conversation between the blades whether or not you're practicing or defending your life." Jared tutored coming up behind Tranq taking the boy's sword hand, guiding Tranq through a block of my attack. "And if you listen carefully just by the sound you can predict your opponent's next move _without _premonitions abilities." Jared guiding Tranq into a downward block throwing off my attack. He let us continue on, watching as Tranq predicted my attacks. 'This is the reason why I like guns' I thought grimly._

Without a flash before my eyes I stepped back a notch, blocking Tranq's strike making the boy lose his foil. Sourly I reminded myself to make Tranq lose it to the side, he predictably cart wheeled backward catching it instantly lunging forward. I lost grip on my sword; Tranq caught it before it dropped pointing both swords at me. "Ah ha, I remain unbeaten!" he cried out with a grin plastered on his face. Never once had I beaten Tranq in fencing or anything that had sharp blades, though he never beat me in target shooting of course. "Next time Shadows." Tranq sneered.

"You always say that." I rolled my eyes sliding slowly down to a pointed angle that was above my special room window. Dropping down onto the still I opened the window slipping silently inside. The walls were a splash of random colours, paint streaking in different directions, splatters of the reminisce of our paint fight a week after Jared took us in. 'Jared Rehab' just what we called it made the corner of my lip curve up. The room had different tables spread around, mostly filled with loose paper with sketches of confusing dreams I showed Jared, along with the small pots on one table with a potter wheel beside it. A long double foot locker sized vault accompanied a wall with hung 'stalker photos' I took of everyday life with my camera and sketches of future events I saw, the ones that had accrued were framed. Some of them you could tell exactly what was going to happen; most of them were confusing crap. Like one that I had to do on a large piece of paper because it came in multiple flashes that overlapped each other. There was a fuzzy image of three people, two about the same height, the other quite a bit shorter than the other two, something that looked relevantly like a feather necklace with small round beads, a line that spiked and dipped in jagged lines and something that resembled splintering wood scattered across the whole picture over the other images, the three fuzzy figures were bathed from behind by a brilliant full moon. The moon gave me shivers, something almost had possessively had made me colour the images making it bath its eerie glow on the figures. The feather was a rustic brown streaked with black and white which slowly changed to black with silver, the beads a dark chocolate coloured wood. The lines were a kind of greenish as if they were being showed on a screen, the three figures looked like someone looked at them with vision problems. You could tell the shapes and colour, just not the details, the taller figures to me looked like adults, and the one that was shorter looked like a child or maybe even a teen. Everything beyond the images was a blur of colours some of which I could pick out shapes.

The image in total disturbed me, a confused muddle of a bunch of flashes that I knew were trying to tell me something. I sighed still trying to make sense out of it. The feather when turned black with silver looked very much like my feathers, yet I didn't know what the other colours meant and not even the genius Pretender knew the meaning either. I didn't understand any of it instead of the moon, which I desperately tried to forget every time I looked at it.

"Shadows, you've got more fan mail!" Tale called up as she had gotten to come home early because of the 'immature prank' that had been pulled at school. _Humans just don't accept what they can't explain_ I disapprovingly thought. I called down causally telling Tale to just burn the secret admirer letters; I had raised suspicion when I gave all the guys who sent me a lover letter a broken nose when they had made sure they couldn't be traced. Of course with the disgusting cologne I easily found the guys, their scents practically bathed on the letters. I sat down at my pottery table running my hands over my favourite tall pot that bulged in the middle with a tinny opening at the top. My sensitive fingers picked out the detail you couldn't see just by looking at it, the pictures I had lightly etched into the pot before it dried. I liked this one the most because it showed a scene I had dreamed about so often, Father on the floor just before I killed him. My lips curved into a sinister smile, no it wasn't the future I had seen it was something that I dreamed would happen, some of my school binders had doodles of the scene in them. I could see his expression so vividly, how the life and colour would drain from both his face and eyes right before I pulled the trigger, how frightened and shock he'd be in the moments before his death. I would savour every moment when it finally came true, I would feel so relieved to rid the world of that vile man.

I chuckle left my lips, however now I was just satisfied with sending him little presents and he had no way of finding me. Once I sent him a dead Copy with a note attached saying 'do better', I could see his face when it arrived at his office. The way he would be so utterly horrified that I would refuse the Copies that were suppose to 'polity' bring me home. It never worked that way, Copies were too blood thirst, they wanted to destroy and rip to shreds like out of control Rottweilers. I put the pot down taking my second favourite pot, the one with the vision of me flying; it too was not the future but a dream. Down below Bronze was fighting with Rose about what was going to be for dinner. Bron wanted to go to Jackie's Joint for burgers while Rose argued about the last time the head chef had almost kicked us out because of me so she was going for the idea of a steak dinner here which Bronze said would be expensive. I listened to the bickering down stairs until Ethan intervened and said we were going over to the new kids' place for a BBQ that the parents had invited most of the town to. Their backyard was the size of a football field so getting the small town's population in it wouldn't be too difficult yet I sighed irritably. One) crowded places, bad for Tranq; two) I left the school in a condition that I shouldn't be already healed from, someone was going to be sketchy about that and three) I was testy about the new kids. They were too nosey, as I had caught them listening to the conversation between Tranq and I at lunch. That and I think I heard their dog talk.

I moved around the room for the rest of the time, it was a couple hours later that Jared came up while I was drawing a picture of a glorious strong flaming bird. "Hey we're going to the Ride's place for a barbecue dinner and I want you to stay here since you're not supposed to be healed yet. We're going to be gone for a long time so you'll have the house alright?" Jared said halfway through the door. "Didn't want to go anyway." I answered making Jared frown. "Give them a chance Shadows, don't judge a book by its cover or a perfume by its smell." Jared said. He had came up with the lousy line after I started judging people by their smells, though ironically I had decided to keep a careful eye on the kids when I caught I whiff of them. "Anyway there's food downstairs and I'll have Tranq pop in to give you some food. If you're going to come check out the barbecue stay out of sight, kay? Also Neo's gone up to the mountains for the weekend so you'll be completely alone, your okay with that?" Jared asked hesitantly. "More than fine." I reassured him. "Your shoulder should be healed by five so you can take the bandage off then, your side won't be healed until around eight-ish when we get back." Jared told me leaving the door open slightly when he left.

I waited until I heard everyone leave, the van that Jared had traded for the Kia rumbled down the drive giving me the all clear. I rushed out of the room to spiral stairs down the small hall that dropped me off at what looked like a dead end with a bunch of coats heavily blocking the way. Pushing them aside I opened the closet door quietly closing the door and dashing down the second stairs to the kitchen. Now I can raid the fridge. Jumping the last eight steps I darted to the kitchen coming to an abrupt halt. There was a huge large cooler on the island. _Oh come on!_ I sourly thought stalking up to the fridge and giving a hard tug on the door.

It didn't budge.

I banged my head viciously against the door of the fridge with another irritated sigh that turned more into a guttural rumble from the back of my throat. I didn't make it often unless I'm alone because Jared would give me a light slap on the head, either that or the occasional dog-snarl that I did at something that was bugging me, usually at bunches of the thousands of cats that littered the grounds near the house. Neo said it was me that attracted them, though he thought it was funny that a cat would be content with me one moment and hissing at me the next. I smelled Ana at the door, heard her paws scratching there knowing that I would let her in. She only hated me for a second when we met and now she clung to me following me around. Generally she wasn't allowed in the house yet Jared didn't say to behave. The back door open and Ana trotted in giving a happy bark then cocked her head trying to place why I was in a bad mood. I felt like circling the blue cooler on the table, hating it to the bottom of my heart. Jared had finally stopped me from raiding the fridge; he gave me enough food from the look of it still it was probably leftovers from dinners that others didn't eat. Instead I controlled the urge and went with glaring at the cooler until I got hungry that I just got food out. At least not _all_ of it was leftovers; I pulled the packaged meat out placing it on the counter. Let's see here: two, four, six, eight steaks for dinner then. Eight _raw_ steaks.

After I had finished the meat that left cold blood all over the place I cleaned everything up going to my special room. Along the way the closet door opened just as I got to it, the door to my special room unlocked without a key and opened even though I didn't touch it. Another thing Jared panicked about, my open use of my telepathy or whatever it was called. I loved being able to move things with my mind since it made life so much easier. My camera shot towards my hand and I went back down throughout the house grabbing my long coat from the coat tree before leaving with Ana at my heels. You might be wondering why I didn't use telepathy when I really needed to, the answer simple: Father. He told me that doing things myself was more productive (another thing that presented me a failer) so that's what I did. It wasn't until I was quite a ways through Jared Rehab that I started using my telepathy more often.

I started to run through the forest holding the camera close, going fast enough to make quick time yet slow enough for Ana to keep up. I was going to the barbeque to take pictures of the sceptical kids, maybe find out why one of them was terrified of being in a cage.

* * *

**Max's POV**

I didn't like the idea of the barbeque at all, neither did Fang or Iggy for that matter. We had the whole town in our football field backyard, a many of the families brought their own barbecues as requested along with a hefty about of raw meat to cook all from sirloin steaks to hotdogs. Most of Angel's cuts were healed; she wore a couple twenty small Band-Aids anyway. Right now I couldn't help but snort at the message we got from the school on the answering machine.

"Despite the immature prank that was pulled this afternoon throughout the whole school we would like to see all students back on Monday thanking you." The message ended. _Immature prank_, more like bizarre Dune and his friend who we learned was Amberlynn, the most feared person in the whole school. "They think that's a prank?" I jumped giving Fang a hard hit on the side of the head. "_Don't_ do that!" I hissed completely freaked out. Didn't help that I had been covered by snakes at lunch. Fang rubbed his head slightly looking me in the eyes. "Have you noticed anything wrong with Total?" he asked. "Like what?"

"He seems uptight, heard him mumbling of something that smelled weird around here." Fang answered, Akila came in looking tense with Angel following behind, the sounds of the party outside floated in from the open door. "Akila doesn't like it out there, an animal or something that's been in the area is making her worry." Angel said looking down at the dog as Akila laid down in front of the couch. "What's roaming around out there?" I asked. Angel shrugged saying Akila didn't really know.

"Max," Mom called from the door, "why don't you all come join us?" Once outside I noticed how small the backyard actually was, the smell of meat cooking made my mouth water. "There are way too many people here." Iggy said coming up to me the look in his eye told me he missed Serenity. Angel told me that the Organization had entwined Iggy and Serenity's mind together so they could hear each other's thoughts by the look of it he was already missing that. "If she were here she would make sure I wasn't in the dark." I heard Iggy sadly mutter to himself as he left. Man poor Iggy, yet one part of me hated Serenity even more. Look what she had done to him; if Iggy found out Serenity was dead he would—

I pushed those thoughts out of my head looking around for any signs of danger. I spotted Dune, looking as claustrophobic as I felt with a group that consisted mostly of kids, the oldest kid at least fifteen, the same age I was now. Amberlynn wasn't amongst the group, probably at the hospital recovering from all the bullet wounds she got that her double had shot at Amberlynn. I knew what it was like to get shot, from the time just before I met Ella and Dr Martinez who at the time I didn't know was my half-sister and mom. Fang told me all the names of the people with Dune, having been out here just a minute ago. "The one named Tale is just as chatty as Nudge." Fang said and I could see the two girls chatting nonstop together. "Max why don't you come meet Mr. Green? He's lived here for quite awhile." Mom said motioning to a tall man with dark brown hair and dark kind eyes that was talking to one of my teachers from my new school. I followed her, having a long list of questions I'd try to ask.

"Mr. Green, this is my daughter Max I've told you about." Mom said coming up to the man. He nodded holding out a hand, "It's a pleasure to meet you Max, and feel free to call me Jared." The man smiled. I shook his hand with a nod. "If you have any questions just ask Mr. Green." Mom told me. "Please just call me Jared." Jared insisted. Mom left to go talk to more guests.

"I guess this is a little overwhelming, I've never been to something like this before." Jared said to me. "It was my mom's idea; I'm not exactly fond with it." I found myself saying. "I guess what happened at the school kinda just left you wanting to have a quiet house huh?" Jared asked. "Does stuff like that happen often?" I questioned cautiously. "Not really, I work part time for the police so it was a bit of a surprise getting a call to come to work because of a huge prank that was pulled at the school." Jared said light heartedly. "I don't understand why they think it was a prank though, one of the kids I take care of said that things just started appearing out of thin air that weren't possible." He added.

"Kids you take care of?" I repeated slightly mixed up. Jared gestured to the group he had been with that were all together, "I'm not a legal guardian of these kids, I just give them a place to sleep, food to eat, clothes to wear and education. None of these are my kids; I've just created a family of kids who have nowhere to go. The dark skinned boy with short frizzy brown hair is Dobry, I found him on the streets in Seattle while I was tracking down a murder I got from my actual boss. I drove the kid back here and solved the case by finding him since he knew whodunit, if you get what I'm saying."

"He knew who committed the crime?"

"Exactly, happened to be his father who dumped him on the street the day after. The case had been running for more than two years and everyone was shocked that the key was the boy they had all seen on the street." Jared pointed out.

"Do you happen to take care of Dune and Amberlynn?" I asked even more cautiously. "Yes I do, those two are quite some work they are. They ran away from their home just after their parents died, Amberlynn drove the family car more than forty miles before it broke down on the side of the road. I found them starved to death out in the forest as Amber slowly died from a bullet wound to the chest. Nothing has been the same since I took them in." Jared said a far out look in his eyes. I asked him where Amberlynn was getting the weirdest response. "Well Amberlynn is... she's at home resting. After the incident at the school she's bushed and all so she couldn't come." Jared quickly said. "I apologize I must be off, I need to find someone."

Jared seemed to glad to go rushing off in the direction of the young man that had came with them. Had I pushed too far? Did he think there was something weird about how I wanted to know about Amberlynn?

_Clish._

I swerved looking around for the noise of a camera shuttering. I didn't see anyone that had the kind of camera that would make that noise, most of them were digital. For the second time today I felt like someone's eyes were on me and I heard the noise again.

_Clish, clish._

Wildly looking around I desperately tried to find who had the camera, hoping that it wasn't what I thought it was. A pit was growing at the bottom of my stomach, a gnawing sensation making me feel a bit sick. My eyes darted as I did a 360 yet I could not find who was watching me.

_Clish, clish, clish, clish, clish. _

It was taking rapid fire pictures now, a chill ran through my spine as I remembered many crime investigation shows I've watched. Where was Fang? I scanned the crowd for all black yet I couldn't find him. Where was he, I needed to figure out if I was going crazy or not. The person I could not see was boring holes in the back of my head, making my skin crawl.

_Clish, clish, clish, clish, clish, clish, clish. _

I spotted the next best thing, Angel. "Angel sweetie," I said coming up to her. She smiled angelically up at me, "Ya Max?" I glanced over my shoulder more than paranoid. "Is there anyone suspicious at the party, like what their thinking?" I asked.

_Clish, clish, clish, clish. _

Angel shook her head telling me nothing stood out she told me where Fang was though. I quickly ran over where Angel directed me and I found Fang causally leaning against the side of the house far from the party. The camera's shutter echoed though my head as I came up to him; with one look at me he asked what was wrong.

_Clish, clish, clish, clish, clish, clish, clish, clish, clish, clish, clish, clish. _

"Does it feel like someone's watching you? Like it did this morning?" I asked looking around. Fang gave his head a hesitant shake-slash-nod. "I keep hearing this camera go off but no one has the kind of camera that would make that noise. I think someone's taking pictures of us." I said sounding like the paranoid freak I was. "Does it sound like _clish_?" he asked. I stared at him slowly nodding. "I keep hearing it too." Fang said his dark eyes locking with my brown ones.

_Clish, clish, clish. _

We both glanced around hearing the same sound. "Maybe we should leave, tell Mom that we have to go somewhere." I suggested. Fang shook his head again, "We should stay, get Akila and Total so we can track down this photographer."

He could not be serious, use two dogs one of which I was told was paranoid about something roaming in the forest and the other was quite grumpy about the same thing. It didn't seem right, yet I went to go get Akila while fang spit to get Total. I went back inside to find Akila where she was when I left however Jeb was there too. "Come on Akila." I said, she got up sourly trotting over to me. "Where are you two going?" Jeb asked. "None of your business." I said attaching Akila's to her collar and swiftly walked out of the room.

"I don't want to go out there, that _thing_is in the forest." Total quietly objected when I came 'round the side of the house to find Total and Fang waiting for me. Akila gave a low growl as if she understood Total. Total's wings were almost fully developed so we put one of those weird little coats on him to hide his wings after we had cut slits in the coat.

_Clish, clish, clish, clish_

"Total someone's taking pictures of us and they don't want us to see them, we need you two to help us." I told him. "Can't a dog have a say in things!?" he said a little too loudly. "Usually dogs can't talk so keep it down." I hissed. "I will not do it." Total scoffed. "We don't need you anyway we have Akila." Fang replied. "What! No, I will not allow her to go alone, I shall come." The Scottie said standing proud. I smiled; nice going Fang just say Akila's going and Total would come. We went off determined to find our 'stalker'.

###########

So it didn't go as completely as planned, Total was frightened the entire way while Akila growled quietly away, neither of them could find a scent other than the thing's scent that was really creeping both of them out. Fang and I were starting to give up yet it didn't help that the shutter bug was still going. That's right, Akila and Total could smell anything yet we were followed by the now annoying _clish, clish, clish, clish_ that trailed after us like a lost puppy.

We stopped tired that we couldn't find anything. "Okay can we leave now, we can't find anything?" Total said looking around nervously. Well I was hungry since I didn't eat anything though I didn't know about Fang. Akila tugged against the leash wanting to continue on, looking almost like the dogs that Erasers sometimes had. I looked at Fang who nodded, we should continue on. Total almost whined as we kept walking, Akila started to pull more furiously, Total became more agitated. Should I let her go so we could run after her? No that didn't seem like a good idea. Akila on the other hand, had other ideas. With a surprising firm tug I lost the leash, Akila shot off barking her head off. "Akila wait!" Total cried galloping after her with Fang and I at Total's heal. Akila charged with aggressive barks, something ahead rustled the bushes as it ran away. I caught Fang's gaze and we both ran faster, Fang scooped Total up as we chased after Akila. An angry bark was returned to Akila a snarl that sounded more human followed it.

'_Respect the natural flows Max'_

"AH!" I tripped surprised by the uninvited visit; for once Fang kept going after Akila instead of stopping for me. _Nice time to pop in Voice_ I thought annoyed. _'Some things cannot be explained Max, like the incident at Düsseldorf in 1939.' _The Voice chimed. _Düsseldorf who would call a place that? And what_ _incident are you talking about?_ I thought questionably.

"Max."

I looked up to see Fang coming over, Akila limped at his side. In Fang's hand was a camera that he immediately gave to me, "Can't tell if it was out photographer's the memory card's gone." He told me. "What happened to Akila?" I asked making Fang shrugged. "Attacked by something." Fang said as Akila licked a claw mark on her front leg. "We should get back to the house, hey ever heard of anything called Düsseldorf?" I questioned sound weird. Fang gave me a look shaking his head slowly like I was crazy.

I sighed as we walked back home, when we got there half the people had left yet the backyard was still crowded, a little off from the large group of people a bunch of kids had set up a soccer game. Fang went off with the camera and the two dogs while I went off to the library once I had found Jared and asked the man where it was. Düsseldorf, why would the Voice bring that up?

* * *

**Shadows' POV**

In general I hate dogs; I sat lost in the forest of books at the library discreetly licking the wound on my upper arm. Man I didn't think that the dog that looked like a Husky would actually come after me; Ana had attacked the dog making it run off however I had lost my camera that the Goth boy had picked up. Thankfully I took the memory card out after I had finished raking the photos I wanted to keep still some where saved on the camera's memory when I continued to take pictures after the card was taken out. I had sent Ana home right after and came to the library for peace and quiet, right now I was trying not to drop blood on the pages of the book opened up on my lap. A story book of famous children's stories, after I had lost CL's story book I always came here to read this one that I hid under the non-fiction section underneath the bookcase. I left my wound to air dry, taking the bandage off my shoulder rolling up the blood spotted cloth and putting it in my pocket. I read through the book, putting it back in its hiding spot so I could wonder around.

We had a history test in two days, might as well study. I took a couple thick volumes on what the test was supposed to be about taking them back to where I was sitting before. It didn't take long for me to doze off; history wasn't really my strong hold. A flash of a feather, fast beeping and a green jagged line, a big bright moon, a mournful howl. _**"SERENITY!" **_

I jolt awake my breathing fast and ragged. Ah hell I hated it when my dreams did that. However this time it was different, parts of an earlier dream had pasted itself with other things. I pushed some sagging hair out of the way taking a deep breath, then gripped my head with a painful throb.

_June 26_

June 26 what? What was so big about June 26? Something reeled in my head, I put both hands tightly on my head feeling like my skull was going to split open, _forty-one soldiers killed at Düsseldorf, three killed two wounded, seven killed one wounded... _My fingers peeled away from my aching head. Okay what was _that_ about? Düsseldorf that sounded familiar somehow... I got up leaving the boring books behind. As I passed the computers near the exit a familiar smell whacked me hard. Stopping I turned my head to see the oldest girl of the Ride kids sitting at a computer doing some research. I was really far behind her, so far that if a normal human looked at the screen they wouldn't see any words. Focusing on the screen the words came into view.

**Düsseldorf 1939.**

Düsseldorf I mouthed then realized it. _Oh damn!_ The power button on her computer pushed itself the screen became blank, all the computers' plugs came undone right after. I speed walked to the door as the girl cried out in frustration that her search was completely wasted; I pushed the door open and started sprinting for home. _Damn, damn, damn_I thought coming up the windy drive to the house. A litter of cherry blossoms covered the ground like snow, the trees lost the last of their flowers as the small pink petals slowly floated down, most already replaced by green leaves. The house came into view, a white country house with a nice little garden to the left of the house; the cats I had told you about earlier were all over the place now that Neo was gone. I jumped the five steps to the door throwing it open going straight to the kitchen frantically picking up the phone and dialling the number.

"Hello?"

"Tranq we've got a problem." I said breathlessly.

* * *

_It's the ride of my life and I give it to Christ  
Taking me for a spin, kick the track, let's begin  
Whirlwind, hurricane, love so strong it's insane  
Frothing up, overflows from my head to my toes  
And I like what I've tasted  
So I choose to embrace it_

_Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah  
Fill me up til I'm full, make me unstoppable  
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah  
Feel his love overflow and it's unstoppable_

_Yes you bless, put me first, though I've earned something worst  
It's too much to contain, gotta give it away  
I need to go, let it flow, cause your love is fantastic  
Shooting out from my heart like a giant elastic  
Yeah I know I'm invited  
Oh that's why I'm excited, I'm saying_

_Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah  
Fill me up til I'm full, make me unstoppable  
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah  
Feel his love overflow and it's unstoppable_

_Now something's got to give  
The unstoppable... _stopped_so I could live  
I recognized the fact  
Is where I'm at_

_Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah  
Fill me up til I'm full, make me unstoppable  
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah  
Feel his love overflow and it's unstoppable_

_I can do all things  
There's nothing stopping me_

_Yeah I can do all things  
There's nothing stopping me_

_I'm unstoppable  
Unstoppable  
Unstoppable  
_UNSTOPPABLE!

_**Qtown  
Unstoppable**_


	9. When Has Stalking Been A Sport?

**Assassination of Memories  
Chapter VII – When Has Stalking or Eavesdropping Been A Sport?**

White Wing: Oh dear God!

Logan: What is it!?

White Wing: ***squeals***it's Taylor Lautner

Wolf: You have got to be kidding

White Wing: Over there, he's talking to Neofreak ***girly squeal***

_What the hell are you doing here! If you don't like Rob cuz of his greasy hair hide somewhere else!_

***Big boot kicks Taylor out***

_I don't understand why people go ballistic over these guys, Rob scares me and I just want to kick Taylor in the—_

Tristan: Maybe we can talk about this some other time, we really don't need an angry mob of Twihards coming after us

***Jake runs past***

Jake: Too late!!! ***Big dust cloud shows oncoming Twihard mob***

Logan: RUN FOR THE HILLS! ***Books it followed by transformed Wolf***

_I'm just going to go now__** *poof***_

Neofreak: Is this because Akiko doesn't own Maximum Ride or Pretender?

White Wing: Run now talk later! High ho Silver, away! ***Gallops away on a tiny pony***

Tristan and Neofreak: Wait for the normal humans here! ***Runs after White Wing***

Twihard mob: **KKYYAAAA!!!!!!**

* * *

"Whoa slow down, what do you mean she was looking up... how do you say it again?" Tranq asked moving away from the soccer game Theodore Ride had started. "Düsseldorf, I passed by her when I left the library." Shadows answered sounding paranoid if possible. "Come on just because she was looking up something about what ever this thing is how does it make it a problem?" Tranq said looking around to make sure no one was listening. "I had a flash, Düsseldorf 1939 forty-one soldiers died in a series of months." Shadows hissed. "Alright calm down it can't be that bad." Tranq assured Shadows.

Until what she told him next.

"Seriously!? Wait are you on drugs or something?" Tranq stared at his phone. "I'll choose something." Shadows said in a pissed tone. "Just forget about it, maybe she won't do any more research." Tranq said. "I have a flash about Düsseldorf and I find her researching about it, that can't be a coincidence." Shadows insisted. "You've lost a lot of blood; you're probably just over worked. Take my advice, get some rest."

"Tranq—"

_Beep. _

Shadows slammed the phone down on the receiver another deep growl coming from the back of her throat. _He's convinced it's nothing, how human_ Shadows thought with another throaty growl. Ana whimpered, not happy that Shadows was in a bad mood. Kneeling down Shadows rubbed the dog's head with a sigh. _What the hell am I going to do? _She couldn't go back to the library that would spell disaster.

Stiffly standing up Shadows booked it to Jared's study on the third floor, the lock clicked open the instant she got in viewing distance. On went the computer with the printer, Shadows had to sit down and manually get the printer tools open on the computer as she slid the memory card into a slot on the big printer. After waiting a few moments the pictures popped up like daisies. The leader, a tall girl with long dirt blond hair and brown eyes that searched the place like a security guard; the youngest, a small girl with curly blond hair and big supposed innocent blue eyes that held a dangerous glint, she had many sides and not to be tempered with Shadows could tell. Then the Goth/emo boy, around the same age of the leader and Shadows, the one scared of cages. All their eyes held that frightened look, Shadows gazed over the others. The African American girl; the youngest boy with a blond cowlick and big blue eyes like the youngest, in all probability was the youngest girl's brother. And then there was the blind one, with glazed over blue eyes, he was tall, with pale skin like a Dead-one, his strawberry blond hair went to the bottom of his neck.

Shadows was drawn back to the dark boy, something about him looked familiar. She remembered his scent sorting through it. The smell of bird was all over him, yet there was something else, something desirable. It couldn't be; the smell of heart beating Dead-one and mixture of Lycan. Shadows printed the pictures, a pen at the ready. The minute his picture came out and dried, in capital blood red letters Shadows wrote on the corner of the dark boy's picture:

**BLOOD STONE.**

* * *

**Max's POV**

"Your still here?" For once I didn't jump when Fang silently came up behind me. I rubbed my forehead waiting for the page to come up. It took two and a half hours to plug all the computers in again and restart them again with the guy at the front desk, however with the power down the Internet was coming in very slowly. "Yeah, the Internet's working at turtle's pace here, I was looking up what the Voice had told me. I found something on Düsseldorf that happened in 1939, something about a German soldier being attacked and spreading some kind of plague around for a couple of months even after he was shot. Well that's the little Google summary, I didn't get to read anything else other than he was attacked by a dog before the computer shut down." I said looking up at Fang then back at the screen. "I can't find the page again and everything Google's giving me is random crap that doesn't seem right."

"Try the Internet history?"

"Was completely wiped when the computer unplugged or restarted I can't get it that way."

"You could use my lap top."

"I've got a feeling I won't find it there anyway." I closed the page getting up. Stretching I asked him how the barbecue was after I left. "The Gasman's soccer game cup went quite good, the Greens won." Fang reported. "That's Amberlynn's family right?" Fang nodded to my question. "I don't like Amberlynn something's up with her." I said walking out of the library with Fang. _She kind of reminds me of Serenity_ _somehow_ I added in my head. _'It's truer.' _The Voice chimed. _What's truer?_ I thought even more annoyed that the Voice wouldn't give me a straight answer. _'Dune feels the same way with Amberlynn.' _The Voice told me. "Not even that was an answer." I muttered at myself, Fang gave me a sideways glance. "Voice." He said. It wasn't a question I knew that he knew it was the Voice. I nodded waiting for the Voice to give me some more dreadfully unhelpful Hallmark card sayings.

'_Look beyond the mask Max, for Serenity.' _

I frowned, what does _she_ have anything to do with this? The Voice became quiet and I growled. "The Voice is not helping." I groaned rubbing my temples. "What did it say?" Fang asked still looking at me. "Look beyond the mask for Serenity." I grumbled. Fang's eyes went vacant as if he was thinking; he looked away from me while we walked. "Maybe she isn't dead." I looked at Fang shaking my head. "It doesn't seem right; if Serenity was alive she'd be looking for Iggy." I pointed out. "We've been moving and making sure no one finds us." Fang countered. "We can't just start putting things around, Fang I don't think she survived the time in the Organization. Serenity wasn't the strongest person; she wouldn't be able to live in those conditions."

I stopped realizing why Fang was being so persistent to say that Serenity was alive. Fang stopped his back turned to me. "Max if we lose our hopes that Serenity is alive what do you think that will do to Iggy? He's lost most of his hope, he's told me. Haven't you noticed that he goes out every night?" I blinked my mouth opened yet nothing came out. "I followed after him once, he had a necklace that he gave Serenity. When I confronted him he told me that when they were escaping Serenity told him she'd be out after him, at the same time she slipped the necklace into his hand. He left knowing that Serenity wasn't going to come out. He leaves every night and talks to her as if she's right there; if we all think she's dead he'll hate himself for not stopping her." Fang finished a look I have never seen in his eyes when he turned his head to me.

I had never known it was that bad, then that night when we all noticed he left... God what was he doing? I looked away from Fang setting my jaw. Iggy had been full of self hating for this long how could he conceal it as much as he had. Today at the school, what had he heard that was his biggest fear? I put two and two together and figured it out, _'It's your fault that I'm dead!' _I could almost hear Serenity's anger and misery if that was the exact words Iggy heard, the words he was afraid of. Fang continued on with me tailing behind, hating myself for not talking to Iggy while he wallowed in self-loathing. How could I not notice this earlier!? Fang must have been on nigh guard when Iggy went out if we sleeping outside, Iggy would just fly away when we were at home. When we finally got to the house it was dark, probably around eight or so and the last of the guests were leaving. "Man that was an awesome soccer game, you should have seen this girl Rose, she was awesome." Gazzy said with a smile when we came up. "Isn't that the girly one?" I asked. Nudge nodded, "She blamed Gazzy for her broken shoe, the heal completely snapped off. Suddenly she just drops to the ground all muddy and she gets up with a scream, the little boy, Dune, told her to suck it up." Nudge giggled. "All of them were really good; probably if Amberlynn was there they would be able to go against a professional team." Angel smiled. I looked around while Ella told me how good the game was while she watched. "Uh sorry to interrupt you Ella but has anyone seen Iggy?" I asked, to my dismay everyone shook their heads.

"Great." I muttered.

* * *

**Iggy's POV**

This didn't seem right. I was kneeling down, my fingers skimming over the print on the green-brown ground. Okay so it's a dog's print then suddenly it's a human's? I had followed after Max and Fang when they took Akila and Total out here, keeping far enough behind so the dogs would hopefully not catch my scent. Whatever got Akila upset had been with a dog, it's smaller tracks were beside the set that at first were large dog tracks then bare human foot-prints, my fingers skimmed over both sets. Hmm, what was that about I wonder? Some of my fingers from my right hand glided across rough brown bark, a large tree. There was a large intend at a spot near the tree, probably the camera I hear Fang talking about drpped here. Sitting with my back against the tree I sighed listening for anything around me. There was a lot of rustling leaves, any small creature (it was a couple squirrels) mapped out the place for me. The trees weren't too dense, I could walk around without having to worry much, and a couple roots had pushed themselves out of the ground.

I dug into my pocket bring out the gift, holding the chain in my hand, the letters in my other hand. My thumb gently rubbed the _S _my mind bringing up that face, those beautiful eyes that were the wrong colour still beautiful nonetheless. At the same time I saw myself through her eyes, I could feel the crescent scar on her hand. "I miss you." I murmured, a tear rolling down my cheek. "You told me we would find your mother together; I'm still waiting for you so we can do that." I could almost feel her hand on mine squeezing it for comfort. "Where are you? Why aren't you here? Do you still love me?" I asked the air another tear fell. "I don't care if they did something to you, as long as we can still love each other I'm fine with that, I just want you here. I should havestopped you that day. How could I be so stupid?" More tears were falling now I vigorously rubbed them away with my sleeve.

"Look at me, I'm crying like you." I weakly laughed, "I want you, I really do. Would you come find me?" I heard leaves crunching in a series of fours, not a person but a dog. I raised my head trying to focus on my visitor. Maybe a big coyote or a small wolf padding up towards me stopped, I could hear a fast heart beat and the quiet breaths coming from the animal, I could feel its eyes on me. "What are you looking at?" I said fiercely. Another crunch as it stepped slightly to the side. "Great I'm going completely crazy, get out here." I said raising my voice standing up. "Get away from me, shoo!" I yelled picking up a rock and throwing it in the animal's direction. The animal side stepped, the rock thudded to the ground near where the breathing was coming from. "Leave me alone!" I roared taking a step forward surprised I heard the animal back up. "I said go!" I took another step forward and flinched when I heard only two feet step back. That can't be possible, an animal like that can't suddenly have two feet. The breathing was more human, the heart beat too fast, by the sound maybe it was a kid. My mind was spinning trying to figure out what to do. I took a step back and ran.

The leaves crunched under my feet as I ran back to the house, scrapping my arms from being too close to the trees, two feet followed after me, the light foot fall that of a girl's or maybe even a huge cat with two feet. I brushed against things I marked to show the way home, suddenly I was in the open on flat grassy ground, the footsteps stopped at where the trees ended. I slammed into the door, opening it and quickly closing it behind me panting. I could hear everyone in the living room; Max's footsteps came up to me. "You okay Ig?" She asked. "Someone or something was chasing me, at first it sounded like a dog then it suddenly was up on two feet." I said breathless. I turned around trying to look at Max's face that I couldn't see, "I followed after you guys when you went with Akila and Total trying to figure out what was bugging them." I told her.

"How about you talk in here so all of us don't have to get a replay." Total called from the living room. I followed after Max's footsteps entering the room where everyone's calm breathing made me feel left out. "So what happened? Oh Iggy your arms are all scraped up what happen?" Nudge bubbled, Max's mom told Ella to get the first-aid kit. "Something chased after me." I said. "Something that at first was a dog then it was a person." Max said sitting down beside the even calmer breathing Fang. "Maybe it was a werewolf." Gazzer said. "Ah werewolves need the full moon to transform Gazzy, remember?" I said. "Maybe it was a bear." Said Angel, I could feel her eyes on me. "Not unless it was a very _tiny_ and light bear, either it was a really big fox or a small wolf." I said.

I put my hand in my pant pocket, then the other. "Oh damn!" I patted all around my pockets trying to find it as Max told me to mind my language. "What is it?" Ella asked coming in the room. "I lost Serenity's necklace." I horrify muttered quietly. I slumped into an empty chair close to me putting my head in my hands. "I can't believe I lost it, what would she think if I lost it..." Max's hand was placed on my shoulder. "It's okay Ig; I don't think she would really care." Max sympathetically said rubbing my shoulder. I stood quickly glaring in her direction, "Yes she would, and now I lost her necklace, she's going to hate me!" I snapped running to my room slamming the door.

* * *

**Shadows' POV**

Jared helped unwrap the large bandage around my torso, looking at the wound closely. "It's not going to be completely healed until tomorrow so just be careful with it, I'll put a smaller bandage on it so you don't get anything in it. Same with your shoulder." He said getting a clean bandage. I was sitting on the edge of the tub in my tank top, allowing my wings to slack a little, a hand over my arm wound to hide it from Jared. Thankfully the bullet missed my wing; I unfurled them as much as I could looking at the pitch black wings for any damage. Even if I couldn't do anything with them I loved my wings, I touched one and it shuttered at my touch. They were so beautiful yet useless; Jared gave me a look when he turned around.

"What?"

"Nothing, Shadows why don't you try to fly at least once?" Jared asked. I shook my head making Jared sigh, putting something on my shoulder wound. I hissed, muscles tightening while Jared put the folded bandage on my shoulder using some tape to keep it in place. He patted my hand that covered the dog bite I got from the Husky going over to get more bandages. I watched as his hand went down on the white bandage when he brought it back up it was spotted lightly red. Jared looked at his hand then my arm; I could feel some blood oozing between my fingers. Jared firmly pulled on my arm, my hand fell away revealing the bite. Jared sighed putting some more of the stinging liquid that smelled on my bite making me clench my jaw. "When are going to stop hiding things from me? I just want to help you." Jared said looking me in the eyes, I looked away not able to keep that hurt gaze. He finished with my arm and torso leaving without another word. Getting up I went off to my room flopping down onto my bed. I hated lying to Jared I really did, however I didn't fully trust him.

My eyes closed, I opened them to see the room was darker, the light had been turned off and someone put the blanket over me. I must have fallen asleep. _12:02 am_ read the clock, the room was only a little darker, the soft light from underneath the door making it possible to see everything brightly. Even if there was no moon, if there was no light I would still be able to see; swinging my legs over the bed I crept silently down the hall to the stairs where the light was on in the kitchen.

"Neo isn't back; hopefully he didn't go to the next town over." Ethan's voice floated up loud and clear from the kitchen. I heard Jared's sigh from the kitchen, "Well if he did than he won't tell us, as long as he didn't go after any people its fine." My stomach churned at the thought of Neo feeding off a human. I'veseen how vicious he is with animals, the thought of a human in the same place a deer usually was made me sick. "What about Shadows, has any progress been made?" Ethan asked, I finally figured the awful thing I smelt was probably beer. "It's still a muddle of fuzzy images and voices; she's not remembering anything about her past before the Runes." Jared said, "Here hold my beer." There was a clank of bottles, the hum of the fridge got louder as it was opened then it closed. "Made sure Shadows didn't get the lemon meringue." Jared said with a chuckle. Well it didn't sound like they were drunk, though Jared was smarter than that. Still if I was correct Ethan was under the legal drinking age. I rolled my eyes: guys. The bottles clinked again, there was a guzzle then a belch. "Nice Jared." Ethan sarcastically said, I heard an empty bottle being thrown into the garbage.

"What about you Ethan? Your living in a house with a bunch of kids, I'm surprised you haven't left yet." Said Jared, a chair scrapped the ground. "I don't exactly have a place to go." Ethan said, a cupboard opened and someone rummaged through it, plates clacking and clinking. "If you want I'll help you find a place, you could go to the city." Jared's voice had moved from where he had been, the plates were placed down. "I guess I kind of like it here, a home is a king's castle right?" Ethan answered a plate was picked up and shortly after put back down. "Hmm yes. Or do you just want to help Shadows get her memory back?" Jared poked. "Ya I guess. It's strange all the hypnotism I've tried hasn't work. It's always a blank screen for her; I think someone might have drugged her or something." Ethan said. "Well the human mind is defiantly a strange thing; someone who isn't completely human makes their mind even trickier. Anything could have happened to her Ethan, though don't start expecting radioactive spiders just yet." Jared chortled. Ethan snorted, "More like someone hit her on the head with a mallet and fried her brain at the same time, added with the radioactive spiders. That's the only way I can think that she gets little snippets yet their all out of order. "

I stood up walking back to my room finding it boring to listen. _'The mind is a curious thing, play_ _games with it to keep those off of you.'_ My teacher's words echoed through my head, I gritted my teeth together. I flopped back down on the bed heaving a sigh, trying to go back to sleep. I tossed and turned yet the dreadful darkness wouldn't take me for once in my life I wanted to sleep and I couldn't. I sat up not in the least sleepy and my hand touched something in the bed. I pulled it out, letters swinging on a chain.

I S

_When and how did this get here_ I wondered looking at the necklace as it bounced the soft light from under the door onto my face. I sighed again, something I have been doing a lot. I put the necklace onto the shelf by the clock. The instant my head hit the pillow I was out.

_It was that Ride girl again, it seemed like she was looking for stuff for breakfast. 'Mornin' Max.' The young blond haired blue eyed boy said sleepily rubbing his eyes. 'Morning Gazzy' Max said turning towards him quickly, he asked what was for breakfast. A look flashed across Max's face then quickly disappeared. 'It's a surprise.' She said kissing Gazzy's head. I just so happened to spot something disgusting hiding in a bowl behind Max's back. 'I'll pour juice.' Gazzy said going to the fridge Max tossed the bowl of whatever into the garbage. There was a thud above by the stairs and an outcry as someone hit something, Max leaned over to look at the staircase. 'Who moved the table next to the stairs?!' the blind one testily said wobbling down the stairs. 'Sorry, Iggy. The staircase just looked so empty.' Max said while Iggy moved to what looked like the living room. _

'_Don't forget I'm blind.' Iggy said flopping down on a couch like he could see. Max made a look that said "then act like you are" going to the fridge rummaging around. Her shoulders seemed to prickle as something past by behind her, she turned her head on one then the other. Slowly she glanced over her shoulder. 'GAH!' she cried falling over. 'Fang!! Will you quit that?!' Max snapped to the emo boy as he put his long hair into a ponytail. 'Quit what? Breathing?' he asked calmly. 'Make some noise when you move! You startled me!' Max barked Iggy wobbled into the room throwing an apple to Fang. 'I'll make eggs. I don't want Max to burn our last frying pan.' Iggy said. Max's face went a little red then she stomped off, 'Fine. I'll go get Nudge and Angel.' Iggy held three eggs between his four fingers, Fang watched with a look of boredom after Max with the apple near his mouth. _

_Then they were all in the kitchen eating, enjoying a meal. The youngest blond girl was there and the African American was thrown into the mix. Max was sitting at one end of the table, Gazzy on the other with Iggy sitting to the right of Gazzy, the youngest girl was beside Iggy. Fang was on Gazzy's left side, the African American was sitting beside Fang. 'I want to go pick strawberries today. They're ripe now.' The girl beside Fang said. 'Okay, Angel, I'll go with you!' Gazzy said bolting up._

_**FFRIIIP!!**_

'_Oh geez, Gazzy!' Angel said holding her nose. '__**I'm done.**__' Fang said coolly standing up. 'Gas...mask!' Iggy choked out grasping his throat with both hands like he was dying. 'Sorry.' Gazzy said still eating. 'Yeah, Angel. I think the _fresh air _would do us all some good. I'll go too.' The one that I believed to be Nudge said. 'We'll all go.' Max said ruffling Angel's blond curls. 'How's that?' Fang and Iggy nodded, Nudge smiled. 'YAY!' Gazzy cried. _

'_WOO-HOO!!!' Gazzy yelled jumping in the air as the group came over a hill. Angel skipped after Gazzy with Nudge close behind along with Max, Iggy and Fang tagged behind. Angel lead the group over to a patch of strawberries were she immediately started picking strawberries and putting them in her basket. 'If you make a cake... I can make strawberry shortcakes.' Angel said to Max who was sitting beside Angel. The older girl smiled sweetly until her face became annoyed as Iggy's voice floated over. 'Yeah, that'll be the day, when Max makes a cake. I'll make it Angel.' He was standing right behind Max. 'Oh, thank you!' Max snapped jumping up, 'Okay, I'm not a fabulous cook. But I can still kick your butt and don't you forget it!' Iggy was shaking his head and hands, his walking stick swinging back and forth with a smile on his face. A little ways away Gazzy was trying to conceal his laughter. 'Was that you?' Max said in a frightening voice, a deadly look on her face over top of Gazzy. 'Kkkh!' Gazzy squeaked Max grabbed his cheek giving it a pull. _'_How many times have I told you not to play jokes mimicking others?' Max said with a hint of laughter. 'But it's fun!' Gazzy laughed. Everyone was laughing now, Max had Gazzy in a loose head lock nuggieing his head. 'Better noises from that end.' Giggled Nudge. Angel laughed as shadow fell upon her, she looked up and screamed. _

I gasped eyes flashing open. I laid in bed, the sheets clenched in my hands sweat dripping down my neck. Sitting up I put my head in my hands taking deep breaths. _Breathe; nothing happened _I thought trying to process what I had dreamed. I had been scared when Angel screamed, though I knew that this was not a memory of mine, not anyone's memory. However that couldn't be right, I heard them call the one named Gazzy, Theodore at the barbecue, Angel was called Ariel and Fang was Nick.

Or had they lied?

I racked my brain for more information and found that something was missing in my memory recently. Alright so I went to the library after I had dropped my camera, and then went back home and called Tranq. But how did I get from Jared's office on the third floor to just outside the Barn? I guess I hadn't taken any notice to it but when I woke up at the Barn everyone but Neo was home, before they hadn't been and they even asked where I had been. Man I had no idea what happened from the time between Jared's office and the Barn, what the hell happened? My head raised from my hands, could I... no it wasn't anywhere near, was it? My mind spun with explanations and I decided to just go with I'm going completely insane.

Everyone was sleeping; I could hear the even breathing of all in the house. I got up going to the room next to mine silently opening the door. Tranq turned over in his sleep not looking as peaceful as he could be. I came up shaking his shoulder. "Wha?" Tranq's sleepily said his eyes blinked open; he looked confused when he saw me. "Can I sleep here?" I asked. "What you mean... in my room?" Tranq asked yawning. I nodded Tranq moved over to let me on the bed. "Usually I do this." He muttered turning away to go back to sleep. I got on to the bed okay with sleeping over the covers tonight, thanking Tranq. "No prob Shade." Tranq yawned, "No prob."

* * *

**Max's POV**

"I did not get to sleep last night." I moaned my head close to falling into my fifth bowl of cereal. "That dog would not shut up; instead it thinks its fine to howl all night." Iggy agreed rubbing his closed eyes. Fang looked tired too, everyone was, Ella had tripped coming into the kitchen. "I'm sorry guys I didn't know it was going to be like this the day after our first here." Mom apologized. "It's good to know that the animal doesn't howl every night. I went into town early this morning; they've been trying to hunt that animal for maybe less than a year however all their dogs won't cooperate." Jeb said entering the kitchen. "What is it?" The Gasman sleepily asked. "Some sort of wild dog they think, the howling though, gets worse every so often but never in the same month. Sometimes it's regular for a couple months then gets worse all of a sudden, everyone I talked to suggested wearing earplugs to bed." Jeb told us.

"Of course that applies to people who aren't being chased down." Iggy muttered. "Okay everybody it's time to get our butts moving, the bus will be here soon." I said checking my watch. It wasn't some moan parade; everyone just did it, getting dressed and getting ready for school. After Anne everyone seemed to be listening to me more (of course Gazzyand Iggy still made and had bombs on them at all times). We trekked down the freakishly long drive way so we all stood at the bus stop, waiting for the over crowded bus to come. Mom wanted us to take the bus since flying was a no-no; we were too far away to walk so some people might get suspicious, that and we'd need to carry Ella even though I had no problem with that. Mom had driven us last time though decided it would be easier on the bus for us (WRONG) so that's what were taking. "I'm going to sit by JoeJoe at lunch again alright Max?" Ella asked looking at me. JoeJoe was Ella's best friend with the whitest hair I've ever seen on a girl that age, yesterday Ella made a new best friend in ten seconds flat earning her a seat with people like her and not some mutant freaks.

The bus pulled up looking too full for my pleasure, and the driver told us we had to wait for the next one, we didn't care, as long as we didn't get the third bus, one of Angel's classmates told her if you got on the third bus it meant you were late, so we patiently waited for the second bus to come. It came quickly after the first allowing us on. I stepped aboard fist coming up the steps and stopped. In the dead center of the middle bench Amberlynn raised her head; behind her glasses I could see her eyes narrow at me. She was wearing a brown half sleaved shirt today with dark pants, that leather jacket of hers framed her body. Maybe we could wait for the third bus; I was about to turn around when the driver, Mr. O Donald by his name tag, spoke to me.

"Amberlynn's always does that to everyone, she's not holding anything personal against you." He said I looked back at Amberlynn trying not to make eye contact. The look reminded me of a lot of Erasers at the School, it was creeping me out as we boarded on the bus sitting down as close as the door as possible. Iggy and the Gasman happened to get the seat three rows away from Amberlynn. Fang was sitting beside me, Angel and Nudge were the closest to the door and Ella was sitting by JoeJoe; Fang gave me a sideways glance as I tried my hardest not to look at Amberlynn. "You okay?" Fang asked I shook my head. "She's staring right at me isn't she?" I said. Fang glanced with only his eyes behind him. "Yep. Dune's there with her."

The bus ride was the longest I'd ever had, and the most torturous. As I bolted for the door, Shadows pushed me aside dragging Dune along behind her. I flinched; Dune was covered with slithering snakes from head to toe as he was dragged to the door. I shut my eyes tight giving me head a few shakes before opening my eyes again to see the snakes were gone. "I'm going crazy, just a minute ago Dune was covered with snakes." I muttered to Fang once we were off the bus watching as Amberlynn continued to drag Dune into the school. Fang shook his head to say he didn't see anything; I broke off from him going to my locker. "The first block of the day will be block C students that is all." The announcement droned for the older kids, I grabbed my history book going off to find the class I had hate the last time I went to school with of a map of the school I was in now in hand. The warning bell soon went off, kids rushed around trying to get to their classes leaving me alone in the hallway. _Crap_ I thought looking around. _Only five minutes to my class actually starts_. I walked around still looking starting to freak out. _Three minutes, man where is room 105?_ Suddenly I noticed things looked familiar and spotted my locker. I came up to it staring at the light blue metal for a moment before giving my head a hard whack on the locker leaving my forehead to miserably stay there. "I've been going in circles; my teacher is going to be so ticked." I sourly muttered. I haven't even been to history at this school before! Sighing I turned around and felt like smacking my head on my locker again.

_Room 105 was across from my locker. _

With a groan I walked over opening the door. Everyone was chatting to their friends, some kids were having a paper ball war, and the teacher was even passing a basketball back and forth with a kid in the first row. And Iggy and Fang were there standing near the teacher's desk. "Why didn't you tell me you were in history?" I quietly hissed coming over to them. "We didn't know we had C block. Fang said it's supposed to be A block." Iggy said leaning over slightly. "We didn't get to C or D block yesterday so we're doing it now." Fang said staring at something at the back of the class. Nope not something, someone.

That someone was Amberlynn.

She was glaring at us from her desk at the back of the class, closest to the windows that thankfully opened all the way, a shadows casting over part of her face making her look more deadly. The bell rang making everyone go to their seats; Amberlynn's gaze was removed from me to out the window. "Hold your ball José." The teacher said tossing the ball to the boy. "Well class as you can see we have three new students, Jeff, Nick and Max," Amberlynn seemed to perk up as if she knew something, "I'm Mr Shields, the grade 10 history teacher." Mr Sheilds said to us. He was an average man, with little to none red hair and sky blue eyes that had almost the same look as Jared's when he was talking to me at the party. "Blind bat!" Someone yelled throwing a paper ball at Iggy who expertly caught it chucking it at the thrower's head. The girl was surprised as the paper ball bounced off her head, some people whistled. "Jessie I'll see you after school." Mr Shields said Jessie's mouth dropped. "Nick and Jeff you'll be sitting in the two empty seats in the second row. Max the only seat left would be in front of Amberlynn." Mr Shields said looking sorry. Some people started whispering while I walked up as if I was walking to my death; I sat down feeling Amberlynn's eyes on my back. I was again tortured for the whole class some of the things Mr Shields said didn't reach my ears. The class was split in rows, Iggy's and Fang's desks were ever so slightly closer together so Fang could lean over to help Iggy, I could see Mr Shields keeping an eye on Iggy as well. By now I was ready to scream, class would be over in fifteen minutes but I wanted to leave now, I wanted to jump out the window and just take to the sky just to get rid of Amberlynn's eyes. I heard chuckling behind me, it sounded so much like an Eraser's I almost jumped up to run. Was she laughing at me? The way she was making me squirm under her gaze, did that entertain her? Now she was making me sick that she was so much like an Eraser. Was she an Eraser?! That couldn't be possible, and then I remembered Owen. He was Serenity's cousin, a fourteen old Eraser, maybe fifteen now. Erasers only lasted about six or four years but this kid had lasted for so long because Owen said he was a fluke the Whitecoats couldn't repeat, Amberlynn could be an Eraser. The last Erasers we faced off against look really human, but they still looked like beautiful actors that had perfect everything, Amberlynn looked like an authentic human not like the Erasers we fought. I risked a glance over my shoulder; Amberlynn was still snickering staring out the window now. She looked like a really white gymnast, behind those glasses her eyes were a dangerous flare from what I could see. Why was she wearing glasses, Nudge thought Amberlynn might be very sensitive to the light so she wore glasses to stop from getting a headache, but why would she have to wear them indoors? I bolted from the class the minute the bell went and Mr Shields dismissed us sprinting for my locker. I kept glancing over my shoulder, checking each face for Amberlynn. I fiddled with my lock to long, messing up on the combo until I did it like a turtle. I grabbed my books for next block slamming my locker shut.

"Looking for me?"

I jumped just about to scream at Fang not to sneak up on me but caught myself. It was Amberlynn, a smirk on her face standing where the locker door had hid her, she chuckled again. How did she do that? I was looking for her for the whole— oh, when I unlocked my combination lock. I slipped the lock back in the little slot pushing up to lock it. "Fourteen, twenty-nine, two." Amberlynn rallied off my combo leaning casually against the lockers not looking at me. "Turn faster." She said coolly as I quickly went off hoping Iggy and Fang were in my next class.

**Lunch time**  
No sign of any of the Flock. I scanned faces for any of them, Dune and Amberlynn sat at their table from yesterday, though I could hear them so clearly because so many parents had kept their kids home. "Scared the shit outta her." Amberlynn's smug look was making me angry. "Jared wants you to be friendlier, staring at someone until the squirm has the _opposite_effect." Dune said while Amberlynn rolled her eyes. I saw Fang, Amberlynn did too, "Hey Kiba, don't sneak up on Max again." She called out making Fang to stare at her; Amberlynn looked a lot like Ari as she crossed her arms over her chest looking satisfied with a smirk plastered on her face like him. Fang raised an eyebrow at me while he sat down I shrugged popping a fry into my mouth. "What does Kiba mean?" Iggy asked sitting between us with a slightly confused look on his face. Nudge sat down on my other side followed by the Gasman and Angel, "Its Japanese... it literally, translates to Fang the way she's using it." Everyone looked at me then glanced over to Amberlynn and she snorted looking like she was going to laugh. "How does she know that?" Gazzy hissed. I was getting paranoid, it could be a slang term for something but I remember that Nudge spent some time on Fang's computer looking up Japanese words after Nudge had met the bilingual Serenity who could speak, I believe, every modern language. "More importantly how does she know Fnick scares Max by 'sneaking up' on Max?" Iggy inquired. Okay now I was over paranoid, I was terrified to tell you the truth. It couldn't be a coincidence, but _how _could Amberlynn know that? "We need answers." Fang stated plainly. "Who's up for stalking Amberlynn?" I suggested surprised that all hands shot up.


	10. Hunter Of Truths

**Assassination of Memories  
Chapter VIII – Hunter of Truths**

***All hiding in a closet***

Neofreak: (scared shitless) Akiko doesn't own—

White Wing: (whispers) Shh! Twihards can hear fear

Wolf: (whispers) they can? ***doubtful***

Tristan: (whispers) won't we have another angry mob if we don't have a declaimer?

White Wing: (whispers) Doubt it

Jake: (whispers) actually yes. One of Akiko's older stories got bad mail from reviewers when she forgot to do the declaimer four times in a row

Logan: (whispers) what happened?

Jake: (whispers) she stopped the story because of all the negative comments

Wolf: (whispers) Ouch

***Jake nods***

Tristan: (whispers) so how long are we going to be in here?

Neofreak: (whispers) about five or six chapters

Tristan: (whispers) might as well get on with the story

Everyone else: (whispers) Yep

Twihard mob: Akiko doesn't own Maximum Ride or Pretender

Logan: (whispers) man I gotta go

Everyone: (whispers) hold it Logan!

* * *

**Shadows' POV**

I ran a hand through my hair heaving a sigh. In the dim light of my lamp I was working on images from the series of scenes from my dreams last night, I was in the basement having that the Ride kids were tailing me. I smelled them following after me, Tranq, Bronze, Tale and Dobry when we got off the bus, hiding in the forest as they followed us to keep out of our sight. Rose had complained that her dance practice was interfering with her shopping date with her friends however I got her to go to dance knowing the girl would complain even more if she missed the class after school. I stared at the drawing in front of me, a sketch of Angel just when she screamed at the other house in the mountains. I had one of each of them by themselves or together with others though the page was blank past the people or what they were holding or wearing. Fang's eyes peered over a laptop screen from the drawing beside me, Iggy and Gazzy worked on a bomb with a Mickey Mouse clock jutting out from underneath _Fang's Laptop_ sketch. Nudge bounced in one picture holding a t-shirt, Max glared at me from a picture beside _The Girls' Beg _looking very deadly. Why was I seeing these things? What did it mean? I had more of Iggy than anyone, Gazzy in most of them with Iggy either building a bomb or something else. Some drawings were just flashes nearly all were whole visions I saw. I stared at the first one I had seen of Angel trying to figure out what had stood in front of her, I didn't really see it. Well there was that and the one girl I got with Iggy. She was crying on his chest soaking his shirt, the flash had come and gone so quickly I knew I lost most of the picture, I had to image some lines that had been blocked by something. I placed the finished _Angel's Terror _aside picking up _Comfort to the Unknown _staring at it. I remembered the girl had long ash blond hair, white skin and sobbing onto Iggy's chest while he wrapped his arms around her. Who was she? Who was she to him for that matter?

Okay I needed to drive. I took the pictures (twenty-three in total) up to my room putting them in a huge wooden box locking it with a small key I slipped into my pocket. Galloping down the stairs a grabbed a key chain from the key rack on the wall of the stairs telling Jared I was going for a drive. Branklin had weird laws, kids as young as fifteen were legal to drive here; I went to the slightly smaller green barn next to the main red one, opening one of the doors closing it behind me. It was a garage that Tranq, Jared and I had built, with three nice looking cars that were stored where the van was not, I casually walked over to the motorcycle Jared had gotten specially made for me. A custom Harley Davidson, with leather seat and a running panther stretched out on both sides, a furious bird with wings out spread for me to look down at when I get on. I got seated down starting it up and revving the engine getting a vicious roar from the bike. I loved that noise; slowly I used my toes that touched the ground to roll the bike out closing the door by leaning back. The wheels spun, lurching off spitting wind in my face, rippling my hair. I roared down the drive, cats darting out of the way and birds flying out of nearby trees. Scarring the crap out of a bunch of drivers by drifting onto the main road I sped down the slightly empty road, going 'round the slow pokes by passing in the lane going the opposite direction. Very soon I was out of Branklin, just out on the mountain road with no one else around. There was a city just off a road I knew, after half an hour I pulled into the opposite lane and onto the shoulder. Unlike before it was quite hidden now but I could make out the small forest-taken-over black Volkswagen pushed a distance into the forest, I got off the motorbike walking the heavy vehicle up behind the Volkswagen covering the bike with leaves and other things until it blended. I took off through the forest tracking down my scent from two months earlier, running on all fours. After going to the Caves so many times I could get there just by memory, though following scent gave me the fastest and sure fire way to get to the pack. The Dead-ones had been on the decline ever since I was attacked when Tranq and I first discovered this untouched by humans paradise, their smell finally dominated by the werewolf pack. A howl announced my arrival, it was Willow. I slowed down to a walk on two feet footsteps coming closer and closer to me.

"It's been awhile now, we were wondering when you were going to visit." Cain said appearing from the forest in front of me and walked beside me as I passed. He hadn't changed much since that day, other than his hair got longer then he cut it a little shorter than it had been before. We continued to the Caves Giles jumped down from a high tree in attempts to scare me. "Squirt it's been awhile where have you been?" Giles said ruffling my hair like he always did when he saw me. I came every couple weeks while I was in Jared Rehab though started going to see the pack on special occasions. "Hadn't heard from you in so long I thought you were dead." Giles grinned. "I don't die that easily." I grunted Giles nodded, "Yeah I know, you're too stubborn." I punched him hard in the arm. He laughed running ahead like a child, I rolled my eyes. "You cannot blame him he's missed you." Cain said I snorted while Willow's smell trotted closer. Her wolf body broke through the trees; she jogged alongside me whilst I scratched her head as if she was Ana. "Nice to see ya too Will." The corner of my lip pulled up into a smile. Suddenly she was standing beside me so I let my hand drop. "Your way overdue for a recital you know." She smiled sweetly I rolled my eyes again. We got to the lake, the pile of boulders standing eight feet tall appeared with the entrance of the Caves when the lake came into view, Giles' scent had run down there just a few moments before. We descended through the open entrance the musty smell of the Caves filling my nose welcoming me home. Though a new smell was down here too I looked questioningly at Cain. "His name is Hunter; he was hiking up here during the Moons and I happened to bite him. It was just a while ago, his first transformation is due near June 26th." Cain answered. Ooh that date sounded familiar. We came into the main tavern, Katrina, Giles and the kid Hunter was there. He looked around eleven or twelve with fiery red hair, yellow-green eyes and dark skin from being in the sun for long periods. He took one look at me, his first reaction was to jump back, horror on his face, and then he became angry launching at me. Idiot. I grabbed one of his out stretched hands stepping to the side pulling his arm up behind his back and pinned him down on the ground.

"I'm a different person but it doesn't mean I won't kill you." I hissed in his ear, the same throaty growl I had done yesterday erupted from his mouth while he bared his fatally sharp white teeth at me. Now it was Cain's turn to look at me questioningly, I blew a strand of loose hair out of my face. "Hunter, more commonly known as Body606748-35OP. I saw him in the mess hall, the youngest there for a couple days until the Copies became adult looking. Why'd ya leave?" I asked coldly. "You've gotten talkative." The air hissed through Hunter's teeth as I pulled his arm further up his back threatening to pop his arm out of its socket. "I was sick of the way the Erasers were treating me." Hunter sputtered I let go of him towering over the boy. I didn't recognize his scent until I saw him; the human/scaly brimstone smell was bathed in the musty fur smell of werewolves. "Draco hybrid, must be odd to be a Lyc." I smirked making Hunter growl as he stood up. "Okay you two enough of that." Cain said sternly looking from Hunter to me. A puff of smoke seeped through Hunter's nostrils as he snorted shooting off through the tunnels in an odd bumbling gallop. "First stager." I snorted coldly Cain gave me a look. "A lot has happened to him, the night I attacked that boy he attacked back because he had become so savage being out in the forest for so long." Cain said. "Dracos are like that, they don't get enough food they become as savage as a 'wild' werewolf." I said remembering things I've seen in my life. You might not believe it but these things lived close to where you probably live occupying any little space of forest they can, Draco creatures, demons and creatures you wouldn't find pleasant in the least. Werewolves and Dead-ones? They are all around you; you just don't know it, they live like normal humans; Dead-ones being the cause of unsolved crimes and disappearances, werewolves chaining themselves up in their basement three times out of each month. I know because I've seen and smelled it, a Dead-one killing a human, a werewolf chaining himself down in his basement to stop from killing anyone. That's why werewolves don't get along with Dead-ones, their complete opposites. Dead-ones kill humans and werewolves try not to kill humans, you get the picture.

"Hunter will be back soon then he'll just treat you like someone he knows, he's just like that." Will said giving me a reassuring smile. "I knew something bad would happen when the black cat came around." Katrina said rolling her eyes. "Lay off Kat it's always good to have Shade around." Giles said with a toothy grin. The second Katrina snorted I knew where Hunter had learned it from. "So is there a reason why you came back bitch?" Katrina said acid dripping off her voice to which Cain sighed. My dog growl turned into an aggressive bark, I gritted my teeth together. "Don't push me." I hissed. "Katrina stop it, and usually there is some reason you come Shadows." Will pointed out. "I've got a gap in my memory recently." I said and told them what I remembered.

"You've seen the Stone Host?" Giles said his mouth gaping open like a fish. I nodded Katrina whistled. "Who?" Cain asked. "Kid named Nick at my school. But I think they lied about their names." I said having updated the pack about what has happened so far. "So then his name is Fang." I finished. "Well it is only June 4th so I don't understand why you're having problems Shadows. Do you want us to move closer to the town to keep an eye on things?" Willow asked. _Nope_, I shook my head.

"Can I come to the town with you?" Hunter asked from the other tunnel connected to the tavern. I had smelled him coming up knowing he heard us. I shrugged, it would be possible better if he came, and maybe Neo's attention would be divided. "I'm not sure Hunter I mean with you first Moons coming up—" "I'll come back in time." Hunter insisted cutting Cain off. Cain looked at me, "Are you sure Jared would be okay with another person in the house?" I nodded. Cain would always cave, he said alright. "Whoo-hoo!" Hunter cried punching the air.

* * *

**Max's POV**

"Oh my goodness this place is so beautiful! I would _love _to live here, wouldn't you Max?" Nudge said for the fifth time taking a deep breath of the crisp mountain air. I had to admit the place was nice, and it only had the three people we had seen not counting Amberlynn. We had followed her up here, losing her in the forest for a bit until we found her walking towards the lake with two people, having seen a third just a little while before. Right now they were probably underground, going down into a cave entrance by the lake. We had positioned ourselves high on the mountain side covered with cliffs and caves, watching the entrance for Amberlynn to come back out. She had left her house at around noon or just passed, the sky was just starting to go turn colour, the water of the lake a mixture of blue and light orange from the sun.

"Kind of reminds you of home huh?" Fang muttered and I knew he was talking about our old house in the mountains, I nodded sadly. That was our first house and we were driven out of it like any other place, we didn't have any problems there. There we weren't stalking after I girl that knew Fang's name who could easily be an Eraser. Angel dangled her legs over the edge of the cliff we were on her feet swinging back and forth, Celeste in her hands thinking while she stared at the entrance. "There are five people down there with Amberlynn but I can't read any of their minds. They've got weird blocks up." Angel said thoughtfully. "That's okay sweetie." I told her. "Two of them are coming out." Angel said.

We all moved closer to the edge our raptor vision making it possible to see Amberlynn and a boy around maybe Nudge's age come out of the cave like we were looking through binoculars. Nudge rattled off to Iggy what she was seeing while we all watched. Amberlynn was wearing those aviator glasses of hers making it impossible to see her eyes. We were too far away to hear but I could clearly see Amberlynn and the boy with her walk quickly up the other slop of a mountain while the boy's mouth moved as he talked to Amberlynn, sometimes smoke with seep out of his mouth or nostrils (don't ask me what that's about). She answered a bit more than she would with Dune, nodding ever so often that smirk of her's plastered on her face. Sometimes the boy would use his hands mostly like he was punching, choking or even blocking; Amberlynn would nod as if to agree. They seemed to be talking about things that happened before like they hadn't seen each other for awhile, sometimes it would look like Amberlynn would laugh with him. At one point Amberlynn mimed shooting something, the boy went into a dramatic shaking as if horrified with what she did with a smile on his face. They were walking above the main ground but not too high up, it would probably be a painful roll down the steep twenty foot slope though if they fell over the left side. At one point I could clearly read Amberlynn's lips as she asked the boy when he left, from where I didn't know. He answered back with _the same night you_ _did _looking over to Amberlynn then smiled. He ran towards the closest tree and to my shock jumped to the branch eight feet in the air speedily climbing to the top, blowing a large puff up to the sky from his mouth. "Is he smoking or something?" Gazzy asked. "I don't see a cigarette." I told him. "Neither do I!" Iggy grinned, I rolled me eyes. How many times has he done_ that_ now? Iggy's grin faded he glanced slightly over his shoulder. "Ah, guys... we've got wolf company." He said just as a jet black wolf behind us growled. Everyone turned; the huge wolf bared its teeth snarling, the human dark brown eyes glared at us. Whoa wait _human_ eyes! Since when did wolves have human eyes!? "Angel..." "Sorry Max." She said telling me she couldn't do anything.

The wolf threw its head back and howled, Amberlynn and the boy looked in our direction but we were too far away for them to see us. "Down!" I yelled jumping off the cliff to the large natural edge not far below disappearing into a cave with the Flock at my heels the wolf's howl echoing after us. We ran for what seemed like forever, until Iggy pointed us in the direction of where he heard wind. I could see the exit ahead; something jumped out towards me and ducked causing it to slam into the wall near me. It was huge, standing on legs that bent the wrong way, scales covering its entire body it's lizard head and tail made me think of some odd lizard man with really sharp teeth looking really ticked. "DUCK!" Gazzy shouted I dove towards the ground as the bomb went off, the lizard thing shriek in pain while I picked myself off the ground running to the edge of the cliff throwing myself off the ledge. The Flock followed quickly taking to the sky and speeding off away from the place knowing we had gotten ourselves way in over our heads. I looked back, the lizard thing stood at the ledge holding it's bleeding side, looking back and forth then up to the sky. Hopefully it couldn't see us, I looked around to make sure everyone was here taking one last glance back seeing the lizard thing had collapsed to the ground.

"Well that was a close one. I really don't need to be food for a dog or some lizard." Iggy said his eyes in my direction. "I've never seen something like that lizard guy; do you think he's a freak of nature or an experiment like us?" Nudge asked. I shook my head not really understanding what I had seen. I glanced over to Angel noticing she didn't look to good. I coasted over to her, "Hey sweetie you okay?" Angel sped up when I spoke anger in her eyes. I was about to go after her when Fang's wing flapped awkwardly in front of my like an arm stopping me. I knew that look, just leave it. I sighed looking up at Angel who flew ahead of the Flock. What was wrong?

'_I don't like hurting things for no reason.'_ Her voice mentally echoed in my head.

* * *

**Shadows' POV**

"I decided to go stop them, and then the little guy threw a bomb at me." Hunter explained as Willow patched his side up. His scales in his Draconic form had stopped it from being too serious yet he was still bleeding, I remember his scales pulled of his body to his chest as he changed back, looking like he had slipped the lethal iguana head off like a mask while the scales moved to his chest grouping into a hard shell over his chest like armour. How could they follow me? I had mapped out their movement by scent, it was as if they dropped onto the cliff were Cain had found them waiting there since I came. Then their scent disappeared where I found Hunter like they had disappeared into thin air. "You didn't see where they went?" I asked he shook his head. "Nah uh, I even looked in the sky but they of course weren't there." Hunter laughed weakly. I liked this kid, only eleven years old but he had almost the same view I did, in other words he wanted to kill Artemis too, Kudos! "So we're going to go?" Hunter asked. I smirked nodding, Hunter gave me one swift nod jumping up, wincing slightly. "Alright just be back by June 19th. And try not to smoke too much when in public." Cain told Hunter. "I'll try to work on that, alright Shadows let's go." Hunter said.

We went off, even though Hunter was heavy I allowed him on my back to make faster time in a by running on fours to the Harley. "Sweet bike." Hunter whistled when I had let him off so he could walk to the bike. I picked a splinter out of my palm and a couple rocks out of the other hand. Man I needed gloves for that. The ride back was quite except for Hunter's cheering and begging me to go faster. This kid was fun; I went way past the speed limit rocketing into Branklin. Hunter put his nose to the wind taking a deep breath liking the new smells of the town. I slowed down so we wouldn't get a ticket, thought tore up the driveway as fast as I could go. "Nice place." Hunter commented as we got off the bike but with a sniff he recoiled. "I know, he's a brat and smug corpse but I have to live with him." I told Hunter putting the motorbike back into the garage. "So how old is he?" Hunter asked, I know Cain had already taught him how to fight Dead-ones. "Since the Great Plague." Hunter made a face. The cats were gone so Neo was home without me needing to smell him, as I came around the back of the house I saw him glaring at us from his bed room. I grinned waving at him, Neo shut the curtains. "Home." I said coming in, Hunter cautiously came in after me. "He can't kill you, Jared would kill him after." I told Hunter making him nod.

"Hey nice to see you—" Tranq stopped looking at Hunter then at me in question. "Hunter," I pointed at Hunter, "Tranq." I pointed to Tranq. "Hi." Hunter said. "Hey. Um... where'd you find him?" Tranq asked. "Cain's pack, can he sleep in your room?" I asked. "Sure, I'll get Rose to set up a bed for him. So what happened to you?" Tranq asked. I nodded to tell Hunter it was okay to answer, "Cain bit me during his Moon." Hunter answered hastily. "Ooh a newborn, as long as you don't tear me apart during your dreams you can stay." Tranq joked, Hunter smiled. As we showed Hunter around everyone was treating him like family (except Neo of course), Tale even tried to trumpet in his ear which didn't work out. "So you use to be from the Organization?" Jared said smiling fatherly at Hunter after we had explained things. We were sitting in the living room now, everyone was listening. "Yeah I left when Shadows did, though I kinda lost my human side when I starved." Hunter said Jared nodded to show he understood. Smoke escaped through Hunter's nostrils, he quickly tried to hide it though my hand on his shoulder told me it was okay with these guys. "Oh that is cool." Bronze said when Hunter allowed the puff out. "It's like a dragon almost." Hunter's flushed a little, "No one's said that before." He said getting shy all of a sudden. "Hey can you breathe fire or something?" Tale asked leaning forward. Oh yeah he can, I remember he torched one of the Erasers when they got him angry; Hunter nodded.

"Would you mind showing us?" Jared asked just as excited. Hunter's cheeks flushed from the attention, he looked to me. I gave him a nod. Hunter coughed a couple times, then took a deep breath, filling his mouth with air. He blew out through the small hole he made with mouth, fire leaping in a steady stream, out of nowhere Tranq produced a marshmallow on a stick roasting it on the fire Hunter created before Hunter ran out of breath and the fire stopped. He coughed a spark flying from his mouth, everyone cheered. Hunter's cheeks were getting redder; I nudged his shoulder knowing the smell of fire probably freaked Neo out. "Nicely done Hunter, now that's something." Jared said giving a little clap; Rose went off with a skip to make a bed for Hunter. "Thanks, I've gotten more bad things from that than good." Hunter said. "Good for keeping enemies at bay, especial Dead-ones." I said tilting my head towards the stairs. "I heard that." Neo's voice floated down Hunter glared at the stairs. "I said it so you could hear it." I said back with a snicker. Neo growled upstairs, Hunter growled back.

"Okay it's time to get to bed, you've got school tomorrow." Jared said. "TGIF tomorrow!" Tale sighed lugging up to bed. Bronze went up with Tranq; I pulled Hunter over as he followed Tranq. "Hey I need you to watch the kids you tried to stop today, there's something up with them. Since I have to go to school I can't but you can, will you do that Hunter?" I asked him. "Don't worry Shadows I'll watch them tomorrow, I'll find any secrets their hiding." Hunter promised me. "Thanks." I went up to bed getting changed putting my glasses on the headboard shelf. My head hit the pillow and I was pulled into a fitful sleep.

* * *

**Hunter's POV**

I wasn't tired; I laid on the foam mattress with my hands behind my head listening to all the noises with my new heightened senses. I guess that disgusting vampire stayed up all night, I could hear him breathing in the room on the other side down the hallway, probably sitting by the window. Tranq's even breathing was really loud, sounding like he was snoring into a microphone. Tale was talking in her sleep in the room she shared with Rose on the other side of the hallway, talking about hippos that were attacking Rose's hair. Jared wasn't yet asleep but he was going to be soon, Ethan had left awhile ago in a car to go somewhere, probably to the person that had their scent all over him. Bronze was out cold, Shadows' sleep wasn't as peaceful as anyone else, I could hear the sheets being flung all over as she tossed and turned in the room beside me. Cain told me it would be like this for awhile while I got use to the sounds I was hearing but I soon wouldn't be as fascinated with them as time went on. A mouse scurried across the floor, going into the walls where I could hear spiders crawling around. At first I had been freaked out with the world that was too loud, just the footsteps echoing through the caves had been unbearable pain to me ears; Giles' howl had made me scream which brought me in more pain. But when Cain had spoken he had been quiet, calming me down with his soothing voice and explaining what was happening to me. At first I had been horrified but when I ran I found myself running faster than I have even run, feeling powerful. Soon my ears became accustom to the heightened noises so it didn't hurt any more unless Giles howled too loudly, seeing as he wanted all of China and beyond to hear him when he caught something to eat. The notion of eating raw meat had sickened me at first but when Willow had offered some to me I founded that it tasted wonderful.

Right now I couldn't help but listen to Shadows tossing in her bed; I heard one of the sheets rip. I got off the mattress opening the door as quietly as I could and opened the door to Shadows' room. She wasn't tossing that much anymore; only her head would jerk over to the other side every so often. She left her curtains open so I could see her as clearly as the soft moon light would allow me. Her face was pained from a nightmare; I could see a pair of black wings quiver on her back to her ragged panting breath. Some her sheets were pulled back showing Shadows in a plum purple nightgown that was slightly damp at the top from the sweat dripping off her face, Shadows moaned in her sleep. I stood at the slightly opened door watching her wondering what she was dreaming about. "Yes Sir." Shadows whispered her expression changed to one I couldn't describe. Then she straightened completely out, stiff as a corpse with pain written all over her face; uh oh. I rushed over clapping my hand on her mouth just as she was about to scream. I could hear it, I knew the leech could too yet he didn't do anything. I took my hand off Shadows' mouth when she finished a tear rolled down her cheek. I quickly left the room, going to Tranq's room and opening the window there.

I jumped out landing on my feet in a crouch, taking off into the forest, the horses freaked out as I passed the stables. I ran faster and faster, the ground sloped slowly upward to where I could see the moon clearly which is where I stopped. It wasn't anywhere near the full moon but it was a moon nonetheless. I heard Giles howl when he was in human form, it sound quite cool actually and decided to try it for myself. 'What you do is just let it out, it comes more naturally when there's a moon for you to howl at.' Giles had told me. I looked up towards the soft glowing moon, I found myself sitting down, my head tipped farther up, my eyes closed and I howled. It felt wonderful almost like I was getting stronger; I took a deep breath and let out another happy howl. It echoed down the mountain and I felt kinda sorry for the town's people. Oh well. With another howl I wanted to continue but I was getting a little tired, the comforting sound faded away. I smiled happy with what I did, and then I looked towards the trees in front of me flaring my nostrils. Another werewolf? I hadn't smelled them when I arrived with Shadows but there a small white werewolf appeared violet eyes had a distant look in them. A female at that too, she stared at me with that far out look coming closer. Did Shadows know about this werewolf? The werewolf stopped a couple feet away from me, I looked her in the eyes yet it didn't seem like she even saw me. And then she threw her head back a glorious howl spitting from her mouth. I felt energized by this one; I could help but howl along. Mine was deeper than hers but still as magnificent all the same, we sung together in the werewolf way to the moon. When we had finished she came lying beside me staring dreamily at the moon. I ran my hand down her snow white back staring up at the night sky.

My eyes blinked open; I was lying on the foam mattress in Tranq's room. I sat up hearing them all down stairs. Tired I came down the stairs, Shadows was putting her bag over her shoulder at the door Tranq was getting his shoes on. I quickly eyed the gun in its holster attached to the belt around Shadows; her jacket covered the gun as she slipped the leather jacket over her shoulders. If she knew I was there she didn't show it opening the door and walking out with Tranq following behind. I listened, Shadows and Tranq walked down the drive with Bronze, Tale and Rose, Ethan wasn't back yet and Jared was gone, so was the leech thankfully. Man I wonder what Cain would say if I broke into someone's house? I got going anyway, knowing that some people would still be there at the kids' house. I sprinted after their scent coming up to a house quite a distance away hiding in the forest. Only two people were left in the house now, I could hear them talking. "I don't know, do you think they like it here?" A woman said sounding worried. "They'll be fine." A man said, he sounded oddly familiar. There was a bark from one of the two dogs that made them become silent for a moment. "Maybe we should take them for a walk," the woman suggested which just made it way to convenient. After a couple minutes the woman and man came out with two dogs though I didn't look at them much, backing up a couple feet.

_Careful_ I told myself waiting five minutes after they turned at the end of the drive before slinking out of the bushed and to the door. Taking out my lockpick from my pocket I inserted it into the lock and got to work. Shadows told me they had just moved in and I didn't hear them set an alarm so I was okay that way. The lock clicked, I opened the door moving out of the way. Being over cautious I glanced past the door looking for cameras or scents that went in weird directions that would suggest any hidden ones. None, I went into the house closing the door. By the door was a hall rack for coats, and a table that was kind of full with a box underneath it. I could see the boxes dotted all over the place, I pulled the box out quickly going through it. Pictures, veterinarian degrees wait what's this? I pulled out several framed front pages of news papers all having one similarity. _Wing Kids Disappeared_, _Bird Kids- Fact Or Prank?, Bird Freaks Spotted Over France. _All the news papers were about these bird kids fuzzy images of kids with blurry shapes that looked like wings splashed on the front covers, the image too blurry for me to see the faces, I tucked one of them in a bag that was left at the door of Tranq's room for me, putting everything else back and pushing the box under the table.

The oldest girl I had jumped at slept down the hall on the first floor I got to her slightly empty room that had no boxes. I looked around seeing pictures of some of the other kids and two I hadn't seen. One girl was leaned on the tall pale kid, smiling her head off grinning almost exactly like him; I hesitantly put the picture in my bag. There were some folders on the girl's desk I glanced over them not making much sense out of them however I didn't put them in my bag. I went up the stairs staying out of the double doored room that seemed like the master bedroom, I left all the dressers in the rooms alone. One door opened up to a pink room with ballerinas, angels and princesses, the smell of a seven year old girl filled my nose. A bed took up a large corner of the room, with stuff animals and blankets almost making a kind of nest of things. There was a table with little figures with a box underneath filled with other seven year old things, I placed a little angel wind chime in my bag that was laid out on the table. The next room beside it was really colourful the whole room looked like an abstract rainbow, a fifteen year old boy slept here by the smell. A table with cabinet drawers underneath was scattered with wires and things I didn't really understand, the cabinets weren't locked for long and I found explosive things in there. One complete bomb was locked in the bottom cabinet drawer, from the look I needed to touch the two clock hands that stuck up from the bomb to set it off, wrapping some plastic on the two hands I carefully place it in my bag shutting and locking the cabinets back up. The room next to that was a little more regular with cars and diagrams of what looked like more bombs were folded into some books and even in the pillow of the bed. For a nine year old kid he took precautions to make sure no one found his plans that I put back in their original spots, in the corner of the closet was a couple small bombs hidden in a box and having one already I didn't take any more. I had to go across the hall to next room; it was average with a desk, printer, computer and a laptop both of which needed passwords, the bed was average with a little fridge stocked with food and Pepsi that I helped myself to one, hope the fifteen year old guy wouldn't mind. I didn't find anything really helpful until I found a journal hidden underneath the mattress. _Can't read it now so I'll take this _I though putting it in the bag too. The next room looked like the wall paper was made of posters, a CD player was paused with CDs scattered everywhere in their cases, this twelve year old girl could really give her room a good clean. The last one other than the master bed room didn't have anything of use so I got back out into the hall going towards the stairs. Suddenly the scent of the seven year old was at the door, I froze on the top of the staircase as she put her key in the lock.

_Oh crap!_ I thought whirling around as the door I had relocked unlocked and opened; I fled down the hall and into the room with the mini fridge going to the window. I unlocked it desperately pulling on the window that was stuck while the girl passed her room coming down the hall to this one. I dove underneath the bed as the door opened, pushing as far back as I could. She was a little tall for her age with blond curly hair and big blue eyes; she went over to the desk sitting down at the laptop booting it up. Her fingers flew across the keys typing in the password; it was two words, seven letters in the first and four in the second, the only letters I caught was the third letter in the first word and the first letter in the second word.

X R

The desktop opened up, from there the girl looked through files trying to find the right one, after a couple minute's she did, printing it out. She turned off the computer and left, closing the door behind her and skipping down the hallway, stairs and out the door locking it behind her. I waited for so long to be safe that she didn't come back because her smell disappeared after she locked the door. Okay, strange. I got out from underneath the bed checking the printer. Bingo! It had a reprint button. I pressed it getting the page she did. Now this was the most strange.

_Dear _Fnick_,  
Didn't you get my message you little blogging fool?! God what is with you, you could have said something in your blog to tell me you heard me. Yeah I was telling you the truth Serenity is dead, the damned Director killed her! Though I've moved on I doubt you pyro won't, it's just a matter of time until he finds out. Such a beautiful fighter she was, such a resister. You should have seen how she fought through surgeries and experiments even though it put her in horrendous pain. She died because she resisted the last experiment and even as she died they continued on, and she died knowing it was Iggy's fault the reason why her life was ending. I remember her telling me she hated him after he left her and we kinda hooked up after that. Iggy didn't deserve her, only I did._ _But I'd be careful about what you put on that blog there; you don't want people finding you. Say hello to Shadows for me and Ari says hi.  
Artemis_

* * *

**Max's POV**

"Angel, where did you get this?" I asked holding the printed letter from Artemis in my hand. "It was on Fang's laptop." Angel answered. Fang and I had pulled her aside when we read the letter to question her. "How did you know it was on Fang's laptop?" I inquired Angel shrugged. "Ari's still alive?" Angel asked look at me. I shook my head, "No he can't be, and she's defiantly lying about Serenity hating Iggy." Fang stepped up I turned to him, "We need to figure out who this Shadows person is. If Artemis knows this person their dangerous." Fang said. "I know that Fang, we also need to figure out how she found out about Fnick." I said. After the time Fang had been put in the hospital I had too many close calls in revealing his really name so Iggy, listening to me say F— Nick, came up with a nick name for Fang; Fnick. I looked up and almost groaned, "Don't look now our mystery smoky boy is back." I said nodding my head towards the boy we had seen yesterday with Amberlynn. He was doubled over panting, Amberlynn looking at him uncertainly. Still panting the boy handed Amberlynn a piece of paper. She quickly looked at her eyebrows knotting together. _You sure about this_ I saw her saw. _Got it from there_ the boy said back. I saw her glance at me for a second afterwards folding the piece of paper and tucking it away giving the boy a smug smile. _Nice job_ she said. I saw him say thanks and he left; well that made no sense.

I was tortured through history yet again after lunch; I heard Amberlynn muttering behind me. "A little blogging fool yet I want to tell you this." She muttered a little too loudly, I think she wanted me to hear. What she said made no sense, until I picked up on the 'little blogging fool'. Artemis had written that sentence, it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, Amberlynn chuckled almost evilly. "Got a problem?" she coldly muttered in my ear when the teacher wasn't looking that chortle of hers rang in my ears as she pulled back. My breathing was becoming uneven a drop of sweat ran down my neck making me shutter. Man she was like a murderer from a horror movie, her tone always had that kind of feel. The next thing she said scared me senseless.

"If you make cake... I can make strawberry shortcakes."

My hand shot up and I excused myself for the washroom, Fang gave me a look as I practically ran to the door. In the washroom I dashed into a stall locking the door and leaned against it breathing deeply. _How did she know that?! _I panickly thought. Angel had said that to me just before she was kidnapped by the School when we lost our old home, when most of this crazy life had started. When we had escaped Fang, Iggy and I had been around ten, Nudge seven, Gazzy four and Angel two, then four year later Angel was kidnapped at age six, and now about a year after that Amberlynn says the exact same thing. _Oh God_ _what do I do?_ I thought. _'Live and let live, Max.'_ The Voice said. _'Live your life and leave others' lives alone.' _

_Got anymore unhelpful advice? _I sourly thought pushing hair out of my face. _'Beware the wolf.' _The Voice chimed. _And what is that supposed to mean? _As per usual no answer, if the Voice actually answered a question directly with something that made sense or even an answer that was jumbled I might go insane. Unlocking the stall door I went over to the sink splashing my face with water. _God why_ _does my life have to be so complicated? _I thought letting the water drip off my face and into the sink turning the tap off. With a sigh I raised my head wiping off the rest of the water off with my arm. I looked in the mirror and screamed whirling around. Amberlynn smirked at me arms crossed, "Doesn't take much to scare you." She smugly said with a chuckle. "What is _with _you?" I blurted out. Amberlynn's smirk fell her face becoming a blank angry mask, her eyes flashed with a dangerous glint and her mouth became a white line. She didn't answer just like the Voice, I almost groaned out loud at the similarity. She didn't look pleased with my confrontation silently stalking out of the washroom the door closed almost as mutely. What the heck was that about? I went back to class and saw Amberlynn wasn't there, Mr Shields told me he had sent her to see if I was okay, "I'm sorry if she scared you at all, but I couldn't help to notice she was a little upset when she came back. She left right after that." I nodded going back to my desk. What had I said? She did have an attitude and I'd be surprised if no one said anything to her about it. And the teacher, why did he talk so calmly that she left, heck he wasn't even doing anything about it. Did anyone really care about Amberlynn at all or was she just a girl everyone would rather have gone?

I didn't see her throughout the rest of school, when I got on the bus with the rest of the Flock all of her family was there except Amberlynn, Dune gave me an odd look as if he was questioning me why she wasn't here. "Do you think Ari is alive? After coming back from the dead one time why wouldn't he come back a second time?" Fang asked me. "I don't know what Artemis meant by 'Ari says hi', I'm still trying to figure out how that message got on your laptop." I told him truthfully staring out the window. We didn't talk about it, everyone quietly hiked up the drive once we got off the bus. I had told Angel not to tell Iggy about the letter and by the way he was acting I guessed she listened. Mom greeted us at the door with cookies, so naturally I took a plate to my room getting started on my homework. I was thinking of things to write for a small essay looking at the little amount of photos I had and notice something. The one of Iggy and Serenity was gone. I started searching all over my room for it and I couldn't find it anywhere. "Max," I looked to the door where Iggy was standing, a worried expression on his face. "Someone took one of my bombs."

"Are you sure you locked the cabinet?" I asked him, Iggy nodded quickly. We were standing in his room now. "I don't know how they opened it they just did, and my door handle wasn't in the same position I put it in when I left. Someone came into my room and took my bomb from the bottom drawer." Iggy said. His room was very much a colour rainbow so when Iggy touched the walls he wouldn't be bored. "Max one of my wind chimes is gone." Angel said from the door, Fang was there too telling me that his fridge door had mystically opened while we were at school.

"Hey kids, have any of you seen one of your front page news that was framed?" Mom asked while we were talking. She had made a collection of any story we happened to make, none of the pictures had our faces clearly on it thankfully. "Mom was the door locked when you came back?" I asked since Total told us they went for a walk. "No but that's because I probably forgot to lock it." She said before leaving. Iggy, Fang and Angel looked at me boring holes into my head. I went around asking the rest of the Flock and Ella if anything was missing getting a constant 'no'. "Are you missing anything?" Iggy asked I sighed telling him it was a picture of him and Serenity. "Someone was here. It was the thing that's bothering Akila and Total." Angel said. "Well it's a person who stole some of our stuff and broke into our house." Iggy testily said.

Fang glanced at me; he probably wasn't telling me that he had something stolen too. "Well they didn't take the files we got from the Institution," yeah we still kept them, "so they weren't really looking for information." Fang muttered something I could hear. "What was that?" I asked. "They stole my journal." Fang mumbled pretty much just as quietly. Fang... had a journal... since when!? "What did you write in it?' Iggy asked. "Stuff about what's happened to us." He answered to my horror.

___

* * *

__When you think of saving someone, you think it might take time. Eve found us, told us where the Organization was and we went off to go save Angel, Iggy, Serenity, Angelo, Owen and Livia. We get there half way through battle I drop in and help as a distraction then was told to leave right after. Iggy, Livia and Angelo came back without Serenity, Eve dead in Angelo's arms. We went to save them and all we did was distract and run and we still didn't get everyone out, I just don't understand it. Iggy was upset after, he didn't talk to anyone as we split from Angelo, Livia and two new boys, Shawn and Bryden, to go off. We haven't heard anything from them since. I just don't get how one person was left behind when everything was going so well. One person, and we saved seven others, how could we not save one more? I don't understand it.  
Fang._

___

* * *

_

_We find out Serenity's dead, the same day we move somewhere new. It's been about a year, it didn't seem very farfetched that Serenity is dead, but still is shocking. We haven't told Iggy, we can't. I'm still trying to make sense of it all, and she even died two days after everyone else escaped, or maybe the same day Iggy ran off. At the same time it's not believable that she's dead. She was hard going, sorta tough, how could she be dead. It was like Max's half brother, it seemed like he was going to be here chasing us and trying to rip our throats out, Serenity seemed like she was always going to be with Iggy. He's lost hope now; I know Max lost it a long time ago.  
Fang_

___

* * *

_

_When she got the news  
The phone hit the floor  
She fell to her knees and cried his name  
He had just kissed her lips  
And both of the kids  
Their lives will never be the same  
At the end of her hardest day  
The only words she could say were_

_I want you to live, I want you to love  
I wanna go back to the way it was  
To hear you say my name again  
I wanna see your smile again  
I want you to live_

_Takes all of her strength to go through his things  
It feels like she's holdin' him again  
The letters he wrote, the books that he'd read  
and some of the shirts still have his scent  
The picture in Florida  
she holds to her heart and cries out loud_

_I want you to live, I want you to love  
I wanna go back to the way it was  
To hear you say my name again  
I wanna see your smile again_

_Lying awake in the middle of the night  
Trying not to let the kids hear her cry  
She prays for answer or some little sign  
She closes her eyes  
and swears she  
hears him say_

_I want you to live, I want you to love  
I want you to go on and not give up  
I want you to live, I want you to try  
I want you to know that I'm alright  
I want you to fall in love again  
I wanna see you smile again and again  
I want you... to live_

**_George Canyon  
I Want You To Live_**


	11. Bad Luck Comes With Glares

**Assassination of Memories  
Chapter IX- Bad Luck Comes With Glares**

**Shadows' POV**

Tale might say thank god it's Friday but it wasn't any different for me. I had to work on Fridays and weekends at the diner just in town, sometimes the manager would have me sing for dinner shows. Right now I was at work, in my black t-shirt and sand brown pants of the waiters and waitresses trying to finish some of my homework. "Hey Amber, take this order to table three!" The head chef, Josh, snapped placing the food on the round serving tray. Closing my book I took the tray quickly walking to table three giving them the orders they had told me earlier. It was slow going business tonight and I need to get me homework done but had to put it away when Josh snapped at me this wasn't school. Okay now I had to wait around for customers. I glanced at my only table to see if they needed anything, I got up asking if they'd like refills. Alexis and Taylor were regular customers, always wanted the same thing so it wasn't difficult to remember their order. Alexis always had Diet Coke and Taylor had Root beer never was it different. I got back to the L shaped section that was for the staff, Ranj told me I had another table to serve.

_Thank God,_ I thought taking my pad of paper and pencil but stopped when I saw who I was serving. The Rides were sitting there minus the emo kid and another older man I had smelled with them that seemed familiar. _Oh well_ I thought coming up. "May it take your order?" I asked Max almost jumped out of her seat her eyes widening when she saw me. "Hi to you too." I said sarcastically. The one I believe was Angel blinked up at me then smiled, "I'm ready." She said. I raised an eyebrow then nodded. Whoa this girl had an appetite, two Cokes to start, two salads and a whole rack of ribs with almost a pound of mashed potatoes. "Anything else?" She shook her head smiling... well angelically at me. The older the kids got the more they had except for a black haired girl who had about the same of an _average person _along with the person who seemed to be the mother. "There's someone else coming we're not so sure when he'll get here though." The woman said I nodded leaving to give the chef the orders.

"How many people are there?" Josh asked his eyes widening. "Seven, an eighth on the way." I reported getting the drinks on a tray. "Okay but get ready to tell them we've run out of something." Josh said a little breathless disappearing from the window to the kitchen. I quickly dropped off the drinks leaving, not wanting to be near Max for too long at work.

"You were there for quite a while." Ranj observed when his table left, "why's that." "They eat like ancient Egyptians. Just hope they don't upchuck after stuffing themselves." I told him. "Dude don't talk about that in a restaurant." Ranj warned me. I rolled my eyes remembering Josh had blown up on me when I did on my first day here. At the diner, people weren't as afraid of me, Ranj was one grade higher than me yet he kept his distance at school, here he just talked to me. "Hey there's a new club opening up just a couple blocks down, you should go for opening. They're looking for a singer." I shook my head to his suggestion. "I was just thinking." Ranj said with a shrug. "About half the orders are on the tray Amber, the rest will come soon." Josh barked from the kitchen I took the plates going back to the Rides' table. I had Angel's, Gazzy's, Nudge's and the black haired girl's meals, giving them their food I said the rest would be here shortly. "Thank you _very_ much." The mother commented, I left without a nod or 'thank you'.

I stopped quite a distance away from the table, "Whaddya want Max?" I asked coldly turning around. She glared at me angrily. "I don't want to hear that, why did you leave school?" she demanded. _Like hell_ _I'm going to tell someone like you,_ I narrowed my eyes behind my glasses. "Another thing, what you said to me in class, where'd you hear that?" Max snapped. "Ooh you're scary." I said dousing my voice in sarcasm, Max growled angrily. "Don't follow me Max. You could get yourself hurt." I told her uncaringly. "Is that a threat?" Max growled. "Don't push me Ride." I hissed turning on my heel leaving her to glower after me. "I hate her." I rumbled Ranj gave me a sideways glance. "Yeah, whatever. I think the rest of the meals will be out soon." He told me. "Hope as hell they won't." I crossly snarled Ranj rolled his eyes. "You hate everyone what's so different about Max?" He must have been listening to us. I shut my mouth not wanting to talk to him anymore. "Never mind." Ranj sighed. It didn't take long but I had to go back to Max's table dropping off the rest of the meals and had to take four refills. Max glared at me when I was there, it wasn't until I came back with the refills that the mother spoke up. "Max that's rude, Amberlynn's being very kind to get our meals." the mother said. "She stares at me during class." Max blurted out like she had done in the washroom. I put the drink down a little more forcefully glaring at the girl.

That's when the windows imploded at the front of the diner, wood shattering everywhere, the wall and tables rolled like a wave and I was pushed over. At first I could see colours, then shadows until my vision went completely black as I was pulled into darkness.


	12. Whose The Liar Now?

**Assassination of Memories  
Chapter X- Whose The Liar Now?**

***All still in closet for safe measures***

White Wing: (whispers) where the hell is the Twihard mob?

Wolf: ***shrugs***

White Wing: (whispers) wasn't asking you

Wolf: ***rolls eyes***

Logan: (whispers) why aren't you talking?

Wolf: ***sighs quietly***

Tristan: (whispers) he's having one of his depressed moments

Wolf: NO I'M NOT!

All: (whispered slightly) SSSSHHHHHH!!

Wolf: God their not there, here I'll show you ***opens door and walks out***

Wolf: See nothing wr—

Twihard mob: **KKYYYAAA!! *mauls Wolf, disappears along with Wolf***

Tristan: NNNOOOO!!

White Wing: ***closes door*** (whispers) anyone else want to try that?

All: ***shake their heads***

White Wing: (whispers) didn't think so

_**What happened to Wolf? Will the Shorts Gang be stuck in the closet for any more chapters? And does Akiko own Maximum Ride or Pretender? Find out next time!**_

_**Akiko doesn't own Maximum Ride or Pretender we'll tell you that though**_

* * *

Had a bomb gone off? Fire was slowly taking flame, Max moaned rolling over painfully. She wasn't dead, or not yet. The chair she had been on sitting had tipped over, now as she pulled away from it there was only half of it there. "Report!" Max half minded called weakly out to no response. She couldn't see too well, but she could see the shape of someone lying close to her. "Report!" she called a little more firmly, this time she got a few moans, and "I feel like crap." Sputtered from someone that wasn't the Flock. "I think I'm okay." Called Nudge feebly from quite a distance away. "My arm hurts." Said Gazzy. "My nose is bleeding." That was Angel. "My legs are a little sore." Max heard Ella said and was amazed the girl was in that condition. "I'm okay over here." Her mom called. Max was still waiting for Iggy to respond, five seconds, twenty seconds, then it was a minute, Max called 'Report' for Iggy. To her horror he didn't answer, she stood up painfully wobbling around. Max saw a big object that hadn't been there and saw no one inside. That's when her foot kicked something and Max couldn't suppress the scream.

Iggy was trapped underneath something that was crushing him.

* * *

**Shadows' POV**

Vivid colours flashed behind my eyes, bursts of reds, blues, purples and greens. A loud high pitched keening filled my ears. Again I was pulled into darkness as if one of Tranq's shadows had taken over me, pulled into a peaceful world of no feeling. Blood red paper flowers covered the fields the sky above a brilliant dark purple. I laid on the ground feeling wonderfully trapped within myself wanting to feel like this forever. Pink fluffy clouds passed above me as I watched my sky, until pain came flooding into my body, an agonizing scream thundered through my field, it took a minute to process it was me. The scream was replaced or covered with a suffering howl; a brown amber wolf not too far away had thrown its head back to the dark orange moon. Everything rippled like a stone dropped into a small pool until it became impossible to see as the ripples settled something new was replaced. A twilight darkness filled my vision, feeling had evaded me completely. A scream shrilled through my ears, gun shots piercing the scream cutting it off abruptly. The smell of blood drenched my nose, "Curiosity killed the cat." Water rippled, a new scene was brought in. As it came into focus a green line cut in front of my vision and disappeared bringing forth the new image, a young girl with dark amber eyes stared at me her chestnut brown hair tangled and dirty, water rippled faster now, another scene came and went until they were flashes; I barely saw any of them.

_The Ride kids minus the black haired girl and Angel were in the kitchen, looking like they had gotten into a massive fight. Leaning against a counter Fang stared at the ground, Iggy was leaned over a counter, Gazzyand Nudge sat beside each other leaving Angel's empty space, Max sat with a dazed look in her eyes. Everything was quiet, feeling like a funeral home. _

"_Damn!" Iggy yelled slamming his fist down on the counter clenching it tighter. With a howl he swept his hand cross the counter, a plate shattered against the ground with cutlery, a mug was catapulted through the air. It hit Fang in the side of the head, "Watch it, idiot!" he snapped at Iggy. "You watch it! What happened? I mean, you guys can __**see **__can't you? Why couldn't you get Angel!?" Iggy yelled back. "They had a chopper! And guns! We're not bullet-proof!!" Gazzy said back just as upset. Max had gotten the first aid kit and was putting a band-aid on Gazzy's cheek he looked over to her as if asking her why this happened. Yet I still did not understand what happened, something to Angel though._

Darkness retook me and kept me. Like I was suspended with nothing holding me, no smells or sounds or sights. This darkness was in the least peaceful, more haunting than the last. Feeling came in, slowly I knew that I was connected to my body yet I felt more deep down than I have ever been. Smell came next, I was in the basement, Tranq and Jared where there, Hunter was just at the top of the stairs probably lock out. Like someone flicked the 'on' switch my hearing came in way too loud.

"—go see the other kid. I'm responsible to take care of him now Tranq. After having a car on top of you you're going to want hospital treatment." Jared's voice switched on too loudly. I could hear their breathing and heartbeats as if they were hooked up to two large amps, Hunter was pounding his fists on the door screaming to let him in while Ethan told him there was no use. I could hear the water in the pipes, the TV going in the games room three floors up. "But what if she wakes up?" Tranq asked. "Even with Shadows I doubt that after a car smashes through the diner she's going to wake up."

Past the black I saw splintering wood and gasped. My picture. Jared and Tranq became quiet talking wise, looking at me. I opened my eyes, at first it was black until my vision slowly came back from shadows, colours, shapes then it focused. "Shadows you're up!" Tranqcried I cringed at his loudness. "Sorry." He said a little more quietly. "Well I'm not always right." Jared muttered coming over. I could see him more clearly, my glasses were off. "How do you feel?" He asked sitting on the chair next the hospital bed Neohad moved back to basement. I was well enough to give him my famous 'what the hell do you think' look, he sighed when I did. "What happened?" I croaked out, noises slowly going back to normal. "Someone, we don't know who, drove a ML military truck into the front of the diner," I had a flash of the wall and everything rolling, through the windows I could see the truck ploughing through the wall, "Whoever they were they left right after." Jared told me.

ML, medium low, who would do that? Artemis would if someone else but me was in there, Copies weren't that stupid so who was it? The driver, did I see the driver?! I brought the memory back hoping I could see the driver from the window, I could and didn't believe it. "It was Nick." I hoarsely said not wanting to give away that I knew they were lying about their names. "You mean Nick Ride?" Jared doubtfully asked I nodded. "Now Shadows, where would he get an ML military truck from?" Jared said, _whose side is he on!?_ I thought in disbelief. "I saw him in the driver's seat." I hissed. "You've lost a lot of blood, got a broken arm and sprained an ankle in the same day and took a shower of sharp wood, Shadows, you probably aren't feeling well." Jared said patting my hand getting up to leave. "You are so full of it." I hissed angrily as he left letting Hunter down. He thought I was crazy, that I had a delusion or something. Taking a deep breath I told myself not to get angry, to stay calm and stored my anger for a rainy day or an **unlucky** Copy to cross my path. My right arm was broken, my left ankle was sprained, I was horrified that my wings hand been pulled down so they laid out down my sides, one of them had a large bandage. "Some wood went through it but I think it'll heal so you can fly." Hunter said. I almost snorted, like _that_ was ever going to happen.

* * *

**Ari's POV**

"That was a piece of cake." I said shaking my head. I needed a little havoc around somewhere and this little town happened to be on my way to find Shadows, oh well. "God what is with you, what if Shadows was in there?" Artemis said from my side. Father had made her come with me; personally I thought he was just trying to torture me. "Shadows wouldn't be in there, she'd be hiding from humans and killing them day and night looking for Max. Come one let's go." I said turning from the town walking off. "She could have stopped you know, that would be Shadows for you." Artemis said dreamily. Ugh she made me sick. I rolled my eyes putting my hands into my pockets. Artemis annoying rambled on how great Shadows was while we walked back to where all the Erasers were waiting in a van just outside the town.

"Ah, what's that?" Artemis said, we turned to see large a dark brown amber wolf snarling at us. "It's a wolf you idiot." I said the wolf continued to growl yet it was directed at me. I snarled back making it jumped back whimpering. "Let's go." I said trying to leave, but the wolf jumped at me knocking me over clamping its jaw down on my arm. With a snarl I grabbed the back of its neck ripping it off tossing the wolf aside. It skidded still came back, claws sliced at my side. I growled sinking my teeth into its back, the wolf yowled, a crazy smile slid onto Artemis' face. Claws racked across my face making me let go as blood dropped in my eye. This fighting style seemed oddly familiar; I jumped back wiping my eyes. I brought my hands down, the wolf launched full out; I caught its neck in one hand squeezing, the wolf clawed my hand and arm struggling to get out of my grip until it turned into a boy. I dropped him, the boy coughed hand at his throat. Hunter, he looked up at me and ran, full out jumping over Artemis and morphing into the large wolf bounding off. "Ooh that was good." Artemis said smiling though frowned when she saw my face. "What's wrong?" She asked. I didn't answer; blood ran down my face to my mouth. He wasn't an Eraser, then how did he morph? I kept walking on, not really caring all that much getting to the van.

"Anyone say anything and they get their throat ripped out." I said getting in the van putting the pedal to the ground.

* * *

**Hunter's POV**

I panted, holding the place _he_ had bit me. I had seen Artemis with _him_ and got so angry I transformed, Cain had told me I wouldn't until after my first Moon Set (the three nights I forcefully transform) unless I got _very_ much ticked. Artemis had made my life miserable while I was in the Organization, stealing my food if she was still ever hungry, bothering me when Shadows wasn't there. She had beaten me to a pulp so many times my anger had blinded me enough that I changed into my wolf form. I collapsed to the ground with a hand to stop the bleeding when suddenly the person who had been with Artemis slipped my mind. I couldn't remember who it was, just that I hated that person and I needed to tell Shadows. A stench of sweet almost made me flip the leech from Shadows' house stood a couple feet away from me.

"What happened to you mutt?" He asked though not caring in the least. "Shut up blood sucker." I growled keeping my face in the dirt. "You really should respect your _elders _dog." Neo said with a snarl. "Go to hell." I said echoing what Giles had told a vampire before he killed it. "Already have." The leech countered smugly, my gut coiled with hatred and I leapt at him changing. "Filthy dog." Neo spat kicking me roughly in the gut as I came down on him, knocking the breath out of me. I painfully slammed into a tree crimpling into a pile at the trunk. Neo stalked off letting me to painfully wheeze the air back in. Whimpering I got up on my four feet slowly walking back to Shadows' house. Once again I collapsed, too tired to go further and I just wanted to sleep, my back leg brushed the bite mark that was already starting to heal. When I collapsed the horses had gone ballistic in their stables, rearing up and shrieking not allowing me to sleep, Tranq came to the back door looking at me oddly. "What are you doing dog?" Neo asked coming up behind me, Tranq ran out. "Wait, Hunter!?" he said staring at me with eyes wide. Eyes half closed I sleepily nodded Tranq looked at Neo for an answer. The leech reluctantly told Tranq something bit me saying if Tranq really cared about me he should take him to Jared. _Not something, someone_ I thought in sleepy objection. Tranqpicked me up over his shoulder running down to the end of the driveway before a wagon appeared out of nowhere which he placed me in, tearing down the sidewalk. Above the sky was slowly turning caramel, the wheels rumbled against the concrete as Tranq took down the side walk, some people's heads turned to look questionably. I wanted to go to sleep yet the whole world had other plans wanting to keep me up. A familiar and frightening scent filled my nose, I whimpered while Tranqlooked just as tormented bursting through the hospital doors.

I felt like I was going to be sick, with a heightened sense of smell the aesthetic reeked more than Neo. A moan/whimper left my mouth, Tranq continued on while some doctors yelled at him to get out. Pushing farther into the wagon I tried to escape the doctors and lab coats that were bringing back painful memories, I howled in protest. "Stop that they've been hunting something that howls every night." Tranq hissed making me clamp my mouth shut. _It must be that werewolf I saw _I thought Tranq stopped at one of the doors. "Jared... I need your help." Tranq panted leaning over hand on his knee. "Dune I'm a little busy." Jared said turning my head I could see all the Ride kids and someone who looked like the mother surrounded a bed where the tall fifteen year old laid. "It's Hunter, I think he's sick. And I've got doctors after me." Tranqsaid his muscles tight breathing quickly through his mouth. Jared's eyes fell on me; I gave a little whine as the shouts from the doctors got louder. "Would you excuse me a moment?" Jared asked walking out and in a run led Tranqto the back of the building to an empty hospital room. "In here, Hunter be human when I get back." Jared ordered leaving. It was frightening to see him in that white coat. Tranq helped me onto the bed from which I changed back to my human form moaning slightly. "What happen?" Tranq asked. "Tell you later." I said later asking Tranq to blow the window open if he had to. The shadows of the room covered the window, when they came back to their original spots the glass was gone. I nodded my thanks.

Jared came back quite later telling us the exact same thing he told the other doctors as if were one of them. "So what happened?" Jared asked I let Tranq take charge telling Jared what Neo had said. When Tranq was finished Jared looked to me. "I was bitten by _someone_ not something, they were with Artemis, I can't remember who they were." I told Jared. "Do you remember what they looked like?" I shook my head, "I can't remember if the person was male or female." I said wanting to go to sleep. "Can I see the bite?" "It's already healed." Jared frowned scratching his head. "Okay I'm going to have to take a blood test." He said frowning more when I stiffened. "It won't hurt I promise Hunter. I'm gentle." That wasn't what I was worried about yet I let him do it anyway. "Try not to go to sleep while I figure out what's wrong." Jared said leaving once he was done.

Man why doesn't anyone want me to sleep?

* * *

**Max's POV**

This was bringing back memories of Fang; I stared at Iggy trying not to listen to the fast beeps from the machine beside his bed. I was surprised to see Jared step through the door when Iggy had been all set up. Jared was keeping cool yet any doctors that came in were quickly shooed out. He wasn't telling us something, taking Iggy as a personal project. The thought of it made me shutter. Iggy had a masked to help him breath, he had a broken rib, knee and shoulder, one of his ribs could have easily punctured his lungs. When the smoke and dust had cleared I saw it was a huge truck that was on top of Iggy, yet Amberlynn was gone, a bloody drag trail went to the closed building next door yet disappeared at the door way. I think Jared might have been driving the ambulance, none of the paramedics attempted to use the paddles for Iggy unlike they had done for Fang. I was still trying to believethat Iggy was alive; even we shouldn't survive after having a truck thrown on top of us. He looked like death; Jared said he wouldn't be up for maybe a couple days. They IV drips were a little much to look at yet something bugged me about Jared. He didn't take an X-ray, just felt for Iggy's breaks, and he had left quickly when Angel asked where Amberlynnwas. Fang glanced at me from where he stood at the wall, stiff and looking as trapped as all of us felt. He had been fortunate not to be there when the truck crashed through the diner; I was surprised anyone was alive after that.

"Max can I talk to you?" Jared said from the door. I came out, Angel sadly looked after me. Jared closed the door his eyes looking solemnly yet sympathetically at me. "Max I— I have to respect that you seem the most concern about Jeff, and I want to tell you that it's amazing that he's alive after what he's been through." Jared said. I felt like this was going somewhere terrible. "And from that I have to tell you there is a possibility that he... won't wake up." I stared at Jared for a moment taking this in. "What do you mean like that, he'll stay asleep?" I felt stupid though I know what Jared was trying to tell me. "It is very likely that Jeff is or will go into a coma." Jared said. My god, Iggy never wakes up. I couldn't believe it; I didn't want to believe it. I _won't _believe it. I found my eyes dropping from Jared's face, my chest tightening. Jared's hand rested on my shoulder and his sincere sorry choked me. I wanted to run into the room and shake Iggy's shoulders to make sure he would wake up. I wanted to scream to have him tell me keep it down. I wanted to make him open his eyes. "What happened to Amberlynn, Jared?" I asked looking up at him, "Where is she?"

"I have to go see someone now Max—" "No don't try that! Amberlynn ditched school halfway through class, the teacher didn't even care. I don't understand why anyone isn't doing anything, your here at work instead of looking for her. Do you know where she is?" I repeated. "No I don't, Max I'm here because that's my job." "Don't you think that it's odd no one's looking for her? I mean, well... she threatened me at the diner; she said if I didn't mind my own business I'd get hurt. I asked her if it was a threat and she told me not to push her." I went with. Jared was taking care of Amberlynn he should at least know what she's done. "Max, Amberlynn is a very temperamental girl with a bad history. I wouldn't go snooping in on her life or you'll make her upset. Haveyou ever heard the term liveand let live? Follow it Max, getting yourself involved with Amber's life will do you and her more harm than good." Jared said making me defeated.

I opened the door, walked in, and sat down in one of the chairs staring at Iggy like everyone else. Jared didn't ask for anyone to come out instead he left saying he'd be back later.

There was no use discussing it I was staying with Iggy tonight, though I probably upset the Flock when I told them _only_ I was staying. Fang objected to it so I didn't talk to him. If I argued with Fang I would soon cave into letting his stay with me and Iggy. They all left reluctantly when Mom said it was time to go, Fang gave me one last look before leaving. I listened to Iggy's breathing and the beeps for so long I might have gone insane; Jared brought me some blankets to sleep on the couch that was in Iggy's hospital room.

I fell asleep quickly which I wish I hadn't, my dreams were invaded by nightmares, dark memories and predictions of the future. I was standing in a room with a metal table poised at a little less than ninety degrees. Scientists were scurrying around busy; one turned the operation worth light on that spotlighted where someone's upper body would be on the table. They were chatting with each other, phrases that sounded like a different language pouring out their mouths. A door was thrown open and they dragged in a struggling girl younger than Angel. She was screaming at the top of her lungs for them to let her go trying to throw them off. "Hurry up will you? We can't havesubject 666's stress rise too high or the body will reject the nano-technology." A man said clearly looking like the boss of whatever was going on. The girl had thick tangled chestnut brown hair that went just past her shoulders that created a halo around her long tanned face as she tried to jerk free of the doctors. He dark amber eyes flashed wildly when she saw the table, her scream rising in the octave. "Sometime today would be nice." The man impatiently said tapping his foot not looking pleased. Now I remember the doctor Angel had shown me, this man was Dr. Millstone, a doctor that commonly popped up during the time Angel and Iggy were at the Organization. Someone slammed the girl's back onto the table so her feet were off the ground; they quickly strapped her down with leather straps and kept her feet and hands in place with metal cuffs attached to the table. The girl stopped, hiccupping from lack of breath. "Now let's get something straight," Dr. Millstone whispered in her ear, "You struggle you'll want to die, fright against it and it will kill you." He pulled away motioning for one of the doctors. A cart was wheeled out, three large needles on the tray. At the sight of them the girl thrashed around not able to get enough air past her hiccups to scream. "Damn I told not to struggle. That would make my job so much easier." Dr Millstone said plunging a needle into her neck.

I bolted upright just able to suppress a scream. My god what was that!? What was the Organization doing, why did I see that? The back of my neck prickled making me quickly turn my head. No one was there; Iggy was still asleep his heart rate a little irregular for him. Something clanged to the ground making me jump my eyes darted around for danger. I cautiously got out of bed looking around the other side of Iggy's bed to see where the noise came from. One of the empty trays had fallen off the cart, the sound of someone bumping into something made me spin around. No one there. I turned towards the door.

"It's just _way_ to easy to scare you."

I leapt back my hand didn't reach my mouth until I screamed for a second. The soft flashing green light from the machine lit up Amberlynn's face in a creepy way while her signature smirk was plastered on her face. "Why do you keep doing that!?" I hissed. "Your funny when you're scared shitless." Amberlynn said snidely. Then I noticed she wasn't completely fine. Amberlynn had a crutch under her left arm supporting her weight off her left leg; her right arm was in a sling with bandages wrapped very tightly around her arm. Her left ankle was bandaged too but not as tightly, I realized like this she didn't seem as intimidating. Her smiled faded as she looked towards Iggy her eyebrows knotting together like they had at lunch when that boy had brought her the piece of paper. "Does Jared know your here?" I asked Amberlynn shook her head still staring at Iggy curiously. "He looks like crap, kinda like he got hit by a car." She said. "Don't act stupid you where there!" I barked angrily. "Yes I was there, when _Nick _crashed the car into the diner." She said looking at me like she could see through the lies I had told her. "What, F— Nick would never do that!" I objected. "And how do you know that? He isn't really your brother." Amberlynn said coldly. "We're adopted." I lied. "How do you know that he's not lying to you? That everything he's told you, everything he's done and everything he's made you feel, how do you know that is not a lie?" Fang would never do that, would he? No, she was trying to turn me against him. What if Amberlynn was right? What if Fang had been lying to me this whole time? Bad Max, listen to yourself! How could you ever think that Fang was a fraud?! "Though right now we need to leave," Amberlynn hobbled passed me taking the machine off its support and putting it on Iggy's bed. "Don't do that!" I barked then she took his mask off, winkling her nose. She hobbled around again ripping the flimsy tube and knotting what was left attached to the wall. Iggy's heat rate became more regular. "Someone poisoned his air, it's time to leave." Amberlynn unhooked the bed from the wall. "What! No, he could die if we take him out of here." I couldn't believe the words coming out of my mouth. "If he stays here he _will _die, now push!" Amberlynn ordered pointing to the bed. It was like I couldn't control myself, her order was so strict I came around the back side and pushed Iggy after her as she wobbled away like House. "Yo Dune, Hunter, we're booking it. Tell Neo to watch the other house." Amberlynn said, the boy I presumed Hunter made a face. "Just do it." She hissed. Hunter ran passed dropping a key in Amber's hand. "Where's the truck?" Dune told her the compound and the next thing I know it Dune's pushing Iggy after Amberlynn. I couldn't help but follow. "Elliot should be attempting to rob one of the cars around now; if we get there the police will be busy." Dune said, Amberlynn dedicatedly hobbled on. "She tries to stop run her down." Amberlynn ordered Dune, now walking a little on her left leg. We were outside by now, the sky was a dark blue creating silhouettes of everything yet I could see Dune and Amberlynn clearly in front of me. "Wait, where are we going? More importantly what is going on?" I demanded. "You ask too many questions." Was Amberlynn's answer. Gah she was acting like a brat!

'_Follow her instincts Max. She'll be of use.'_ The Voice popped in. _You picked an excellent time to_ _annoying me Voice, now go away! _I sarcastically thought trying to keep up with Dune. These two were fast; soon we were walking right into a compound with the metal fence gate wide open. "Hurry up!" Amberlynn snapped in a loud whisper. Dune rushed Iggy up to the big truck that had almost crushed him getting Iggy in the back. "In the back Ride. _I'm _driving." Amberlynn snapped getting into the driver's seat. I didn't understand what was going on and I didn't understand why I wasn't doing anything about it; I jumped into the open back I saw Dune was strapping Iggy's bed to the floor and Iggy to his bed. The truck thundered to life lurching off nearly slamming me face first into the truck floor. Stumbling Dune got to the front falling into the passenger seat as the truck bumpily made its way to the road. I was thrashed around in the back until I slammed into Iggy's bed holding on for my dear life as a large wooden box crashed into my leg. Using my foot I pushed it away, letting go of Iggy's bed when the ride became smoother. "Where are we going?" It was Dune's turn to ask.

"Don't know." Amberlynn answered driving with one hand. "Didn't you think that over before you did this whole crazy scheme?!" I said my voice rising. "Never think Ride, just do." Amberlynn smiled through the rear view mirror. "Who the heck does that!?" Instantly I realized I had done it quite a couple times. "I'm still here am I not?" Amberlynn said eyes going back to the road. The truck roared down the road passing Branklin's 'come again' sign. Amberlynn made no move to slow down. After a while we sped past someone on the road, swerving around a car at probably 80 mph. Something flashed in Amberlynn's eyes when she saw it through the rear view mirror. "Take the wheel." "Shade!" Dune cried lunging for the wheel as Amberlynn jumping into the back with me pushing me down against the floor. The car swerved though thankfully Dune righted the steering wheel before we crashed barely able to see over the wheel with his foot on the gas. Amberlynn ducked down as a clap of thunder bombed, the truck clashed, metal against metal making the truck veer slightly. No it wasn't thunder, it was a gun shot. "What the— why is he shooting at us?!" Dune cried looking betrayed and shocked. Glancing up I saw what made Dune unhappy.

Fang was driving the car.

Amberlynn took a gun out from underneath her jacket with her good hand returning five shots to Fang. I tackled her to the ground pinning her arms. "What are you doing you could kill him!" I yelled as Fang leaned out of the car taking three shots at the truck. "He hits me I will. Don't push me to do it earlier Ride." Amberlynn barked. Suddenly what she said at the hospital was giving me second thoughts. I'd never think he'd do this, why was Fang shooting at anything in the first place? Why was he shooting at Amberlynn anyway? Amberlynn pushed me off of her returning fire again. I had to stop her she was going to kill Fang! "Stop!" I screamed ramming into her side. Amberlynn thudded against the side of the truck growling like an angry Eraser. "Will you two stop fighting I'm trying to drive." Dune snapped angrily. "Dune, head the truck for Cain's." Amberlynn ordered. "Ah what if he follows us?" Dune called back. "He won't I know he won't." Amberlynn glared at me. Dune drove the truck in swerves and lurches; I huddled down as Fang continued to shoot at us. Did I know him that well? Was Amberlynn telling the truth that he was lying to me? _'Max she's trying to get you to doubt Fang, that will make you_ _or someone else eventually come over and confess to her.'_ The Voice warned. _'If it's anything concerning not trusting the Flock don't listen to her.' _"Hey he's leaving!" Dune piped up I looked over to see Fang pulling to the side of the road, getting out of the car glaring after the truck. I leaned farther out hoping he'd see me. He stopped glaring and blink in his way of showing confusion. It was him; I leaned against the side of the truck not able to believe it. "Dune quickly get to Cain's I can't have this kid dying on my hands." Amberlynn said. "If Jeff dies it's because you took him out of the hospital." I said not believed I had just said that. Amberlynn was over to me in seconds. "Stop calling him that it's not his name and you know it. His name is Iggy isn't it?" Amberlynn questioned. Unexpectedly an odd expression crossed her face and Amberlynn screamed in agonizing pain.


	13. Pointless Journey

**Assassination of Memories  
Chapter XI- Pointless Journey**

_You all know very well I don't own Maximum Ride and Pretender so why do I have to keep putting this here!?_

**Shadows' POV**

I clutched my head rolling into an agonized ball of pain trying desperately to cut off my scream. I was dying, attached to a chair with pain drilling in through my head; my chest tightened, for one crucial second my heart stopped. In between breaths, pain. In between heart beats, flashes of millions of files at once. The pain continued yet its source stopped, the door slammed open Father shrieked, "Stop it!" I stared at the ceiling though I could see Father being brought over by a Copy. It unstrapped me and placed me in Father's lap, he pushed some bangs out of my face as I stared unblinkingly at him. I had stopped breathing, I wanted yet couldn't. My heart beat so softly I could barely feel it in my chest. Father gazed down at me most of his face blacked out someone called on him. "Take her down to the crypt." He said dropping me to the floor clearly grief stricken as the Copy took him away. Everyone ran around someone yelled at Ethan to take me down. Ethan stood with his arms out as if to say 'what the hell!?' then reluctantly taking my wrists he dragged me away. Down the hall, to an elevator and to a dark area that was impossible to see. He threw me while I rag doll-like crimpled by a desk as he quickly walked back to the elevator.

"Shade? Shade! Shade can you hear me!?" I moaned, eyes blinking open and bolted upright making Tranq jump back. "Thank God your okay, I thought something bad happened to you." He sighed. I could see Max in the back of the truck still staring at me curiously. Tranq must have moved me outside when I started screaming. I put a hand to my face; thankfully my glasses were still on my clammy sweat-drenched face. "What happened?" Tranq asked a hand on my bandaged arm. It didn't hurt if I swung it around but it was still broken. It would be until the next day. I remember the first bit before I screamed, Iggy saying not to call him Jeff that his name was Iggy, then the painful scene where I die. I shook my head since there was no way I was going to tell him. "You kept going to Cain's." I observed by smell and the fact that I could see the Volkswagen from here. "Yeah, well I didn't want Nick to follow us so I kinda kept going, but he heard you scream." Tranq said looking at me. "All of China did." Max snorted. I glared at her, "I don't need _your_ two cents Ride. " I hissed angrily. Max glared back at me her face one that told me to take Iggy back to the hospital. "You do know that anyone that lies about their names will most likely have all of Branklin's police over them, do you not?" I coldly said to Max. "I know you lied about Iggy's, Fang's and most of the other kids' names Max, though why not lie about your name too?"

"Stay out of my life." Max spat. "Then stay out of mine Ride." I shot back. "Guys right now is not the time to fight. We've ran out of gas so there's no way we can get back to Branklin. We need to work together to get back unless we want a repeat of last time." Tranq directed the last part to me. Rolling my eyes I stood up on my now healed left ankle adjusting my glasses so they were on properly. "Get Iggy out of the truck, we're going to Cain." I ordered stalking strongly on.

#############

"He smells." Giles complained the instant Iggy was rolled into the tavern, "I could smell him even before you got down here." "Giles mind your manners, we have guests." Cain said turning towards me. Max did not like it down here; I was satisfied to see her squirming like the walls were closing in on her. Willow was looking over Iggy with horror in her eyes; those piercing eyes glanced up to me. "What happen to him?" She said her voice shaking. She was like that for humans; she respected how delicate they were. "A car." I answered in a 'no duh' tone. She ripped the bed out of Tranq's grip and wheeled Iggy quickly away. "Willow—" Katrina called after her as if to stop the motherly Lycan from taking him away. "Damnit, why the hell doesn't anyone listen to me?" Katrina growled making Max jump. "Whaddya say?" Giles said like he didn't hear the ranting Katrina. A bark escaped Katrina's lips, as Max watched her mouth dropped. "She's as close to a dog that you can get. Any weird exact animals sounds coming out of her mouth, just tell yourself you're going crazy." I suggested to Max. She stared at me with wide eyes and slack mouth reminding me of Tranq. "What are you doing here bitch and why did you bring these two stenches along with you?" Katrina snarled I rolled my eyes. Max didn't look very pleased with Katrina's words I went with just smirking at Max to annoy her. "You got us into this mess so don't look so happy!" She snapped. "You just want everyone miserably, don't you?" I stated Max growled though it didn't sound as dog-like when I growled. "Jared did say trying to dig out my history won't do you any good didn't he? You should really listen to others Max." I told her. "How could you do that to Jared, he doesn't know where you are and you were watching him... Unless he did know where you were." Max accused. "Brilliant deduction, Ride. You're absolutely correct." I said haughtily. "Why would you—!" "Why do you lie Max? Why is your whole family submersed in one that you try to fool the world with? It's about the same question though very different answers." I told her.

"You make no sense."

"I make excellent sense you're just making it problematical for yourself and _thinking_ too hard."

Max clenched her teeth, I win. "Is that what you try to do for a living? You're never going to make friends that way Shade." Giles said _tsk_-ing. "Do I give a rat's ass? _No_." I said. "Will you stop it with the tough act we all know your just a depressing weakling." Katrina sneered. "Don't push me." I hissed. "I'd be saying the same thing." Max muttered. I spun around and punched her with my good left hand. Max fell to the ground, her hand flying up to her bleeding nose shock written on her face. My knuckles cracked as I clenched my fingers, "I told you not to push me Ride." I hissed hauntingly. Max's leg flew up in attempts to kick me in the gut, I turned to the side and she disappointingly missed. Jumping up Max threw out a round house kick; I twirled to the right side of her right leg and kicked her back sending her back to the ground. I rolled one shoulder than the other, tilting my head side to side to make it crack. Max stood slowly back up standing there for a moment. I saw her next attacks; a kick to the head, another kick to the gut then pulling my bad arm behind my back. I leapt sideway before she even moved screwing her up. The kick fell short, so she launched to punch me back in the face. I simply tilted to the left so she missed, using my body weight and force to ram my knee into her stomach ploughing her down. Sputtering Max rolled over to get back on all fours, I was about to bring a downward kick onto her back when Cain yelled at me to stop.

"Enough, I don't know what has gone on between you but if you continue this I will take you both down to stop you." Cain threatened angrily, glaring at me until I dropped my fighting mode. I stopped standing as tall as I could, making my shoulders slack so they weren't square, losing the intimidating face. Max coughed trying to regain her breath; Cain nodded for Tranq to help her up. Max jerked her arm away from Tranq as she stood glaring at him blood running down her face. She looked at him as if asking why he didn't interven.

"You, get out of here and cool off." Cain barked trusting his hand in the direction of the exit. I stomped off and broke into a run, listening to the wind roar in my ears with my heart in my mouth. I went past the lake, past the pack's territory and the Bachelor ski village. I ran on all threes (yes I can run without one arm) my hair whipping in my face cooling off like Cain had told me. Up to where the trees thinned, where the grass turned to rock and the smell of brimstone heavy in the air. I ran to the top if the cliff, poising there crouched down. In the faint eerie light of the moon the gold scales looked as if they were glowing. A magnificent head rose up, yellow-green eyes as large as monster truck wheels narrow at me, a angry snort blew smoke into my face making my eyes water. I did something you should never do.

Make and maintain eye contact with a dragon.

* * *

The billowing roar was enough to deafen anyone, Shadows was pushed back a little by the force of Flare's roar. She knew well enough the dragon hated her looking him in the eyes, with a huge scaly hand he swept at her and the earth beneath her, breaking up the cliff side yet missed Shadows as she leapt to his snout and up the back of his head down his neck. With another angered roar Flare snapped his jaws at Shadows though carefully minded his own body as she had tried the trick many times. The exotic language Howling was beautiful to anyone yet in the tone Flare shouted at it sounded more frighteningly foreign.

Shadows smiled jumping off the dragon to the ground. "Okay I never say things like that to you so why do you say it to me?" Shadows said boldly, the dragon roared in Howling again. "Now that is not nice, I'm not the goblin king's daughter and you know that Flare." Shadows answered back. Flare ducked down glaring at eye level at Shadows silently daring her to look him in the eyes again. Shadows eyes darted around Flare's face yet not once did her eyes meet his. Flare snorted more smoke blowing in Shadows face making her cough. His words were a little softer this time, Shadows nodded. "Yeah I know I shouldn't annoy you, don't push you." Shadows smiled. Flare smiled speaking again, "Yeah I do use you're saying now, but hey it works." Shadows answered. Flare snorted, more in a laughing matter this time, the large dragon darted towards the top of the mountain. Almost like a child, with her face lit up with an actual smile Shadows followed after him, ready for some fun.

Max glanced around unsure of what to do. Dune had told her that all the people she just saw were looking for Willow who took Iggy away and they were supposed to wait for them to come back. Feeling uneasy Max followed Dune as they didn't listen to Cain, walking around trying to find Willow too. Max had convinced the boy to lead her around though now he was talking to himself. "We are going to be in so much trouble I don't know why I agreed to this." He muttered wildly looking around. "We need to find I— Jeff. I don't trust him being with that woman." Max defensibly said to Dune. "Hey is what Shade said true? Did you guys lie about your names? I won't tell if you did." Dune added glancing up at Max. Why would she tell him, Max looked quickly away. "And Willow won't do anything bad to Iggy, or Jeff or whatever his name is; she'll try to fix him." Dune said continuing on. "You poor thing you, being hit by a car..." Max perked up at Willow's voice just down the passage way. "If only I could do better, but you'll be fine." The pair peeked around the corner as Willow sat Iggy up his eyes still closed. "Poor thing I hope you're not in a coma after that experience." Willow said gently patting his head down they smiled at the two. "He's alright, though I thought you were supposed to stay at the entrance." Willow said smiling. Max gawked however quickly shut her mouth. How could this woman know that, she wasn't even anywhere near them when Cain said to stay put? Iggy moaned, Willow's hands clapped together her face lighting up, "Oh good you're awake." Iggy's eyes blinked open until his teeth clenched; his good right hand touched his bandages on his left shoulder. "What happened?" He groaned. "A truck landed on top of you. You have a broken knee, shoulder and rib." Max said. "Is that why I feel like crap?" Iggy whinged quietly. "Yeah kinda." Max said her voice dropping. Willow put a hand on Iggy's good shoulder, he jumping painfully wincing. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you. I'm just glad you're up." Willow smiled. She didn't notice he was blind. "Who are you?" Iggy demanded. "I'm Willow, Dune's friend."

Tranq couldn't believe how fast the pack caught onto the fake names and how naturally it flowed out of their mouths. They never sounded like they were questioning or would almost say Tranq and Shadows' actual names. "Where are we?" Iggy said looking a little closed in. "At some caves. We had to stop here after Amberlynn decided all of us had to leave the hospital." Max answered. "Thank god." Iggy muttered quietly. "You don't like hospitals?" Willow questioned. Slowly Iggy shook his head. Willow smiled, "I don't either, doctors freak me out." She said truthfully.

"Wait where's Amberlynn?" Iggy asked. "She almost beat Max up, Cain told her to cool off." Dune answered. "Cain?" Iggy repeated confused. Max, Dune and Willow explained to Iggy what he needed to know, though Tranq kept what only he knew to himself. _Where is Shadows, usually she would come_ _back by now_ Tranq thought glancing back the way we came. "Hey does anyone smell brimstone?" Iggy asked Willow nodded. A roar made Max jump, Dune collapsed putting his hands over his head. Iggy winced as the earth started to rumble Willow was thrown off balance knocking Max over. "What the—" Max yelled some rocks tumbling from the walls above their heads. **"FLARE!"** Cain's bellow echoed off the crumbling walls that instantly stopped. "Oh, he's in trouble now." Willow said glancing to the roof above.

* * *

Sorry the last bit (like everything else in this story) was confusing!


	14. Past In Blazes

**Assassination of Memories  
Chapter XII- Past In Blazes**

_Declaimer: I DON'T UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES OWN MAXIMUM RIDE OR PRETENDER! __***tells myself to calm down* **__And Blaze is thanks to pyroman-15-, where Shadows also appears in Blazes Wings_

"What are you doing?" Cain practically screeched as he stomped up to Shadows who was on top of Flare's back. Flare snorted in amusement at Shadows' innocent look, Cain knowing Shadows, didn't buy it. "You could have very well collapsed the Caves, the ground cannot hold a Draco's weight." Cain hissed, Flare pushed his head in front of Cain giving an angrier snort. "You," Cain said pointing fiercely at the dragon though not making eye contact, "Know better than just walking through here." Shadows rolled her eyes while Flare shifted swaying the girl gently from side to side. "God what is with you your acting like Jared." She said in the tone of a teenager talking to a parent. "He's right to act that way. Shadows take Flare and get out of her before the girl you brought sees him." Cain barked. Shadows sighed giving two firm kick to Flare telling the dragon to take off. Rising above the clouds that had quickly covered over Shadows was bathed in the light of the moon holding her arms out at her sides closing her eyes. She remembered when she had just started out in the Organization; Blaze had been the only person close to her personality. A jokester who constantly did what Father told him not to do and just as silent as Shadows, on a scale of insanity from one to ten Blaze would be a solid eight, Artemis being a solid thirty-five. Blaze had been transferred from a place he didn't tell Shadows about though she believed he said something about a branch of Itex. That was when Shadows would ask questions and found Father had lied to Blaze about the Organization being another branch of Itex. They were trying to take Itex down but Father told Shadows it would be awhile before he sent her to destroy the company that supposedly was a threat to him. Then Shadows had thought that they were trying to kill Father, just to find out about two months later that Itex was just in the way.

She still remembered the first day she met Blaze.

_**Flashback Starts (oh no!)**_

Shadows slid into a seat next to a Copy trying to keep herself from closing her eyes too long yet her blank-slash-angry look was still there making it look like she wasn't tired. Just recently Shadows had completely her three week training; Father had sent her out on her first mission last night. It had been done perfectly just like she had been taught. She wasn't proud though, she didn't care, just that destroying the threat to Father was blessing. That person wouldn't be able to kill him. Instantly someone slid into the seat beside her, Shadows wrinkled her nose at Artemis' smell of old blood and un-washed body, almost gagging on the oatmeal or whatever the gloopy stuff was for breakfast every day. "So how'd it go?" Artemis asked taking a drink of whatever the foul smelling stuff in the cup was; Shadows knew that the Copies gave it out especially though from the smell she couldn't guess why Artemis was drinking it.

Shadows didn't answer, why would she answer to someone lower than her? "Hey I see you're wearing the gloves I gave you, or _one_ of the them." Artemis observed Shadows' right hand clenched. In the long coat with impractical high collar, black long sleeve shirt that came up to just below her jaw, black jeans and black army boats just having one black leather glove kind of stood out on Shadows seeing as her skin was snow white. Shadows use to have both gloves in her pocket until she had to make her escape through a broken window that her target created by throwing a chair at her. She had cut herself deeply on the glass, getting rid of any smell of blood she had put on the black glove to hide the cut however the other had fallen out and she had no time to look for it. "Come on you have to tell me about last night. I want full description and I want how the target looked just before it died." Artemis said. Technically in ranking, Artemis was a higher ranked assassin than Shadows, though Shadows didn't take that into an account pursing her lips keeping quiet. "I just want to know how it went honey." Artemis said with big puppy dog eyes. Shadows rolled her eyes. Artemis made her sick yet there was no way to get away from the bloodthirsty maniac. Shadows' nosed tipped up as she smelt the new scent from earlier approaching along with some footsteps that were quiet yet heavy suggesting a small Copy. This new scent smelled different from the other Copies, Shadows didn't hate it, flaring her nostrils to get more of it; it did smell of blood, and slightly of scales and smoke. The door opened up and a guy stepped in eyes sweeping the whole Mess hall. His dark brown red eyes had the same dangerous look as Shadows electric blue ones, his black hair went down just below his ears as he walked over to the line for food.

"Wonder who that is." Artemis said glancing at the guy then went back to her food. Shadows continued to watch as the guy reached into the Copy's pocket in front of him and pulling out the Copy's wallet. Shadows smirked. Copies were given money from the Organization if they went out for long assignments so some of them kept the money if they didn't use it all. The guy slipped the wallet into his own pocket with a satisfied smirk on his face. Shadows liked his smug look better than hers and copied it. It felt more natural on her; a mocking haunting smirk, it was defiantly could be of some use. Still mockingly smiling Shadows continued to eat, spooning the tasteless glop in her mouth. Artemis nudged Shadows; the new assassin glared angrily her pupils becoming slits. "Copy cat." Artemis whispered. Shadows' gloved hand rested on _Zephyr_ still unemotionally narrowing her eyes at Artemis. Shadows new smirk was gone now as she glowered blankly at Artemis. The new guy somehow gotten to the front of the line quickly since he sat down across from Shadows. Shadows went back to her food while the new guy looked over his food before putting some in his mouth. "Better than the other stuff at least." He muttered taking another bite. "Better than what, exactly? This food is tasteless!" Artemis said pushing away hers. The guy glanced up smirking, "Better than food that tastes horrible." He muttered going back to happily eating his food. Sighing Artemis wished out load they would make better food, at the same time as Shadows the new guy rolled his eyes. "So who are you?' Artemis asked. Shadows almost rolled her eyes again, the way this guy was acting you weren't going to get much of a conversation. As Shadows predicted the guy kept his mouth shut. "Tell me your name that's an order from a higher ranked assassin." Artemis said her voice rising. Some Copies glanced in their direction; the guy stopped mid bite looking up at Artemis who had stood up leaning closer to him. If Artemis gave the order Shadows would have to shoot him, too bad for him if that happened. Shadows had noticed when the guy came in his cloak looked slightly odd, right now she saw him reach slowly and inconspicuously to anyone but her inside the cloak a gleam a silver almost made her smirk again. He had come prepared with knives, throwing knives by the look of it. They were magnificently detailed showing this guy had style.

Artemis opened her mouth and the guy struck, pushing the table back hard making Artemis slam against the wall three tables away. Shadows jumped over the table as it moved watching as two knives flew through the air pinning Artemis by her clothes. The guy leapt towards her, grabbed onto her shoulder with his right hand his left across his body with another knife ready to come down on Artemis with a smirk on his face. The fun was stopped, Shadows smelled a Whitecoat at the door. "Exp 31A2E!" the guy stopped head tilted slightly in the Whitecoat's direction eyes still on Artemis his smirk faded, "The Director wants to see you." Shadows sat straighter from on top of the table, the Director was Father. "Shadows." The Whitecoat said. Shadows jumped over the three tables taking a grip of the guy's cloak and his shirt beneath it, dragging him after the Whitecoat. Just before 31A2E was dragged away he grabbed his two knives slipping them back into a pocket of his cloak.

Shadows pushed 31A2E in front of her, he seemed muddled by something. "What you don't put any cuffs on me?" he muttered at her. Why would she do that? Anyone here was under Father's order, it was a privilege. "You have much to learn, we don't run like your old network." The Whitecoat said giving a firm knock at the Father's door. It hissed opened the three stepped into the Father's office. It looked more like a low tech Victorian study unless you counted the thousands of monitors that were now switched off on one large wall, Shadows could hear Father's breathing from the shadow of one of the book cases. "I hear you were going against Artemis order, that's a bold thing to do." Father said turning with a smile. 31A2E seemed once again confused that Father would know that, Father smiled to Shadows behind 31A2E. "Ah my best here, Shadows I'm instantly bumping you up to a higher rank that Artemis. I see potential in you my dear." He said almost fatherly. Shadows bowed at the honour. "As for you I'm not surprised you stood your ground against Artemis, yes she is ranked higher than you are right now but she isn't as good as you." Father said to 31A2E. 31A2E glared slightly, "That wasn't you who came to talk to me was it? Especially since you were on your _feet_." Shadows waited for a sign that would make Father angry though didn't get one. "Your right, I can't go out like this it would ruin my reputation. Who ever heard of the boss of the strongest facility being crimpled?" Father laughed rolling forward. The man was in a wheelchair smiling at the two assassins in front of him. His long dark hair was pulled into a loose ponytail tied with a satin emerald green ribbon, his eyes so dark it just looked like he had to large pupils. His skin was even whiter than Shadows, he looked very young compared to some of the Whitecoats Shadows had seen, his white teeth gleaming in the light. 31A2E seemed to peer closer, was two of Father's teeth almost fang like? It was probably a trick of the light 31A2E glanced to Shadows. "Ah yes, Shadows this is Blaze, he was just transferred here and is quite an exceptional assassin. Blaze this is Shadows our newest assassin next to you. Her first mission was just last night, if it wouldn't trouble you too much I'd like it if she came along and watched you during one of your missions." Father said his eyes moving back to Blaze.

Blaze didn't seem appealed by the suggestion yet shrugged. If Shadows had instantly been bumped up higher than the girl Artemis after Shadows' first mission she was probably really good. "What are the rankings?" Blaze questioned. "Apprentice, Novice, Novice Master, Master, Master Rank 5, 6 and 7, Noble, Noble Master, Royal Master and Royal. Artemis is a Novice Master, Shadows is now a Master and Blaze I'm moving you to MR 5 which you can guess stands for Master Rank so Artemis can't come down on you." Father said. "Anyone who just starts, i.e. their first mission, they are at no rank at all until the finish very many missions exceptionally. Ari is right now our highest ranked assassin at Noble Master as even getting to Royal Master is a large jump." "What does it take to get to Royal Master?" Blaze asked curious at this. "About thirty kills in one night of our toughest threats. These are high top military ranks that you would be sent after, all of which are prepared for anything to come their way. And I mean anything, all supernatural things they take into account. Ari tried to be promoted to Royal Master however he was almost killed by the first target." Blaze thought this over; it was odd that where he had come from didn't have ranks. "Is there any reason to be a higher rank than ordering everyone around?" "Indeed, yet you will find that out as your promoted." Father said.

Shadows was starting to be testy about Blaze. He asked too many questions making him seem like he wanted more and more information. "Blaze I'm going to send you out for a mission tonight but Shadows will not be with you; maybe around your next mission she will accompany you. You are dismissed." Father said wheeling over to his desk. Shadows waited for Blaze as he stepped out bowing as he passed. Blaze had remembered coming into the office yet Father hadn't been there, just a folder and a number of the room he slept in. It was quite large with bunk beds in rows all full with Erasers except one that was his with a bin underneath the bed with his number that, in the folder said, was for holding his stuff. He didn't put much in it, not wanting one of the many mocking Erasers there to take his stuff. When Blaze had left he had made sure to break each of their noses seeing as they didn't seem to have power over him in the Organization which was a bonus. Aware that Shadows was following him Blaze walked back to his sleeping quarters looking at the numbers on the door to find the right one. She was new like Blaze, yet from the sound of it she had no experience except for the night that he was transferred to the Organization so Blaze didn't keep much guard. He should have, suddenly Blaze's back was slammed against the wall and Shadows jabbed the barrel of _Zephyr_ on his forehead. Clearly she didn't trust him, by looks Blaze asked her what her problem was. Still silent Shadows pressed the barrel of her gun harder on Blaze's forehead. "I'm not a spy, I was transferred here at Father's request." He said coolly like he read Shadows mind. _Zephyr_ was lowed as Shadows stalked off down the hall of doors to one the slid open; she fired as she went in. Blaze rolled his eyes and went into room 13C.

Later on Blaze dropped into Organization grounds, folding his dark red dragon like wings in and strutting into the Organization on the level of Father's office. His mission had been successful; he wouldn't be surprised if father promoted him to MR 6. It was deadly quite, for a second. A piercing howl blasted Blaze's ears, too his disappointment he probably wasn't going to go to sleep. Though when he got to 13C he let out a small pleasured growl. The thing he craved the most filled the room. Fear. The Erasers were afraid of what was howling; now in a happier mood Blaze climbed onto his bed on the bottom bunk falling asleep to the wonderful feeling of fear that surrounded him

_**Flashback Ends**_

Shadows smiled to herself staring up at the stars. At first she didn't like Blaze yet that slowly changed as she saw him more often. Flare nudged the girl impatiently making her sigh. "Yeah I know I have to go, see ya Flare." She jumped off running back to the Caves wondering what had happened to Blaze.

* * *

Note that Blaze doesn't really come into the story, the only time right now he'll come in is in flashbacks. Don't worry people you'll learn more about him soon enough. Maybe...


	15. Their Guardians

**Assassination of Memories  
Chapter XIII- Their Guardians**

Standing above the blazing house the figure turned wondering if everything had gone as planned. Noble Master Ari had told him what to do, that one person was supposed to be left alive. He turned then stopped as the child disappeared. With dark skin and dark brown hair he thought it might have been one of the kids of the house yet her dark grey fogged over eyes were completely different from the faded brown and faded grey of the family of the house that was burning to the ground. She had disappeared the instance he saw her, vanishing into thin air. Taking to the sky he ignored it, flying back to the Organization.

A woman pushed a fallen beam off of herself, eyes darting around the flaming room. She and her family weren't supposed to be here, they should have stayed home. "Adam!" She cried get up and jumping back when another beam, this one blazing orange, fell in her path. She went around it running to the door and out of it, screaming for her husband over and over. Soon smoke too thick the woman started coughing when she heard a voice. "Mum over here! Papa's not waking up!" The woman ran to the voice of the child, out of the smoke the little girl and her father appeared. "Mercede!" the woman said hugging the girl with short hair the colour of the flames around them and eyes the colour of grass. The woman didn't see the man that stood beside the girl rubbing the eight year old's back and the older woman by the man that laid unconscious on the ground. The two older adults that could not be seen looked at each other nodding. They disappeared their work done as the woman took her husband and her child running out of the flaming house. Others weren't so fortune, only the three people survived the fire.

A few days later Mercede was playing in the backyard of their new home in Arizona playing with her new friend Ella. The black haired girl giggled as Mercede jumped onto the fence to get away from the little pug that had chased after Mercede. "Ella you know I don't like dogs it's not funny!" Mercede cried trying to get farther away from the dog. A sky blue bandana pulled her hair out of her face, underneath the bandana her hair spiked out. Grabbing a stick Mercede tried to fend the dog off remembering how many times she had to run away from dogs when she was little. "Ella get her away from me!" Mercede was close to tears. "Sorry, Cede come on Magnolia." Ella called the dog. The pug turned, then affrightedly barked and ran off into the forest. "Magnolia!" Ella cried running after the dog Mercede eased off the fence. She turned smiling, "Thanks Silas." She said to the man standing there. He had saved her from the burning house before, looking like her uncle from pictures that her Mum had. Silas smiled sadly before he turned disappearing. That night Ella came crying to Mercede that Magnolia had run away. Despite the fact Mercede didn't like dogs she comforted Ella until the girl went back home.

Silas sat down with a sigh, Carter glanced up setting his cowboy hat on the table beside the couch he was on. "You okay Silas? You're looking more and more upset every day." Carter said to the man. "Why can't we speak to them? I want to tell her what actually happened to her parents but I can't. Mercede doesn't deserve to be left in the dark like that." Silas sighed. Carter closed his eyes nodding, "But it was brave of Anita to take the girl in, even though she couldn't find her real child." Silas looked at the boy as the navy blue eyes opened. "How could someone mistake a stroller, don't you look in it before you walk away? Adam was taken that way, and that's how Mercede lost her mother. She thinks her mother hated her but that wasn't the truth." Silas was close to punching something. Carter looked the man over. The man's dirt blond hair untrimmed when past his jaw, his faded ocean blue eyes looked miserable, Silas' tanned hands were clenched at his sides. Carter walked over putting a hand on the man's shoulder.

"Guardians are supposed to be there in case we can change things. Being allowed to be seen by our Protected and to talk to them is too much to ask Silas. At least Cede can see you, that's all that should matter." Carter said. Silas nodded, "I guess you're right."

* * *

Mercede, Carter, Silas and the two adults were originally planned out, Hunter wasn't. I've gotten a couple reviews saying certain characters seem newly explored as if I didn't know who they were. Mercede was planned out long before Hunter, Hunter came up just before I wrote the chapter he comes into the story at.


	16. Best Nonseeing Listener

**Assassination of Memories  
Chapter XIV- Best Non-seeing Listener**

_Declaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride or Pretender... sheesh I'm starting to get sick of saying this...  
_**I'd like to give a special shout out to pyroman-15-, thank you for using Shadows in Blazes Wings, I appreciate it a lot. And I appreciate all of you reading and reviewing AOM, love ya guys!**

**Shadows' POV**

I was surprised that everyone was asleep when I went back to the Caves, well not everyone. Iggy was up; he even glanced in my direction when I walked into the tavern. I could see his outline shape, even the shape of his face, his lips, nose and cheeks I could make out from the darkness. "Hey." He whispered. He seemed different than the other Rides, a little more laid back. I grunted sitting down on a rock by his bed. "So what happened?" he asked. "One of your friends isn't telling you something. Fang was shooting at us on the way here." I said, I could see Iggy frown. "How did you find that out about our names?" Iggy asked. "Why aren't you asleep?" I inquired. "You didn't answer my question." Iggy pointed out. I became silent sealing my lips. Iggy shook his head sighing. "I can't sleep, bad memories." He finally said. I didn't ask, though he continued. "Have you ever lost someone Amberlynn? Someone close to you?" Iggy asked glancing in my direction. Why did he keep doing that? He couldn't _see_. I didn't answer again.

"You've got a bad past too don't you? By the way you sit in that hard silence I'm guessing you've gone through a lot." Iggy guessed. I snorted, "You don't know the half of it." I found myself saying, Blaze's smirk sliding on my face. "I'm a good listener care on telling me?" No way buddy, I had become silent again. Iggy shrugged saying it was just a suggestion. "Can you walk?" I asked. "Ah, not sure..." Iggy said, "Why?" Mutely I came over putting my left arm across Iggy's back to support him. He stiffened making me frown, his back felt a little odd. I helped him onto my back, he tried to resist though hissed in pain. "What are you doing!?" he said through clenched teeth a quickly started to walk to the exit.

"Stop it my rib is broken!" Iggy's whisper was a screech for my sensitive ears, ignoring him I hissed angrily going faster. "Scream and I _will_ drop you." I threatened, shutting Iggy up before he did anything stupid. "Where are you taking me?" Iggy grumbled defiantly pissed. "Something no one pays attention to." I answered back coldly continuing on. Up to a little part of the forest I flared my nostrils. Come on where was that dusty sme— I sneezed. "Bless you." Iggy said through clenched teeth. Looking around I saw the ring of mushrooms, sitting Iggy down, propped up against a tree like a doll. "What are we doing here?" Iggy asked to which I shushed him. I waited listening. They weren't coming out, Iggy made them skittish. Opening my mouth a Howling song poured from it like a crystal waterfall, sounding like the language itself. I couldn't translate word for word yet I knew what it said and its meaning, Iggy stared at me with blind eyes. I heard the little tinkling bells carrying on with the song as the soft lights appeared. A little giggle made me abruptly stop I got a little voice whispering in my ear. "Is he your boyfriend?" It giggled. "No!" I almost barked. Iggy raised an eyebrow as another giggle backed with a fluttering echoed in my ear. "He's cute anyway." I rolled my eyes. "Stupid fairies."

"Fairies?" Iggy repeated as if I was crazy.

**Iggy's POV**

This girl was insane! Fairies, how old is she!? Sure I heard an odd wing-like flutter but most bugs sound like that. Amberlynn sighed, "Like everyone else your mind tells you these things don't exist. Hey Ci Ci could you tell this oversized jerk your here?" I glared in Amberlynn's direction. Oversized jerk, okay so I was tall, doesn't mean she has to say anything about it. I felt something land on my good shoulder, I felt the wings brush against some of my hair, "Are you really not her boyfriend?" a small voice said. I jumped then cringed in pain. Holy shit was I going insane, Amberlynn chucked. "Hi I'm Ci Ci." "He can't see you, you little bugger."

I blinked feeling two spots of pressure I presumed Ci Ci stood up unless both me and Amberlynn were going crazy. Fairies don't exist, what the hell is happening!? "That's too bad, hey your cute you know that?" The little voice said again. I felt my cheeks heat up Amberlynn chuckled louder. "Don't you think he's cute?" Amberlynn didn't answer. "I forgot, you don't get close to anyone." Ci Ci sighed. There was tons of fluttering around us, what was going on? "Why did you bring me here?" I asked. "Not every day you can find a quick healing source." Amberlynn said, I could picture she was smiling, or smirking by what I heard of her through Max. "What? Wait, how do you know about these things and other people don't?" "Other people do, they just think it's not possible. Ci Ci I need some healing for him before Max kills me."

"Coming right up! Hey guys we've got a job!" Ci Ci called the fluttering stood still other than flying around. Then it filled my ears, along with other little voices; Ci Ci told me to relax. I felt heat in my shoulder, next my knee and lastly my ribs. At first the soothing heat, until I couldn't feel those parts at all. What were they doing to me... Wait Amberlynn said something about healing. The fluttering left my ears buzzing as all of it darted away, Ci Ci said goodbye to Amberlynn before I heard the little thing zip off. Nothing hurt anymore, cautiously I stood up. "Holy shit." I breathed. "That's what I said the first time I _saw_ them. If you want tell Max, she'll be questioning why you're healed this quickly." Amberlynn said, leaves crunched as she stood up. Her steps sounded familiar as she lead me back to the caves that we had been in earlier. "Hey why don't you like Max?" I wondered though thought maybe I shouldn't have asked. "Don't make me put you _back_ into a cast." Amberlynn snarled coldly. I had taken the bandages off, oddly the ones around my ribs had been put over my clothes, my wings felt a little better as I unwrapped it. I wanted to fly for a bit, my wings were really cramped from Max's persistence in lying low being suspicious of Amberlynn. This girl was odd beyond belief, didn't just a minute ago was she laughing when I jumped? That's when it hit me. That chuckle, I hadn't realized it before but it was like an Eraser's, the way she hissed and snarled... God that's why Max hated her. Amberlynn practically shared an Eraser's personality.

Amberlynn stopped I could feel a really pissed vibe coming from her. Whoops I put her in a bad mood! "What do you want Neo?" Amberlynn asked ice in her voice. "Your one to talk, I was wondering why you made me watch over the Ride house." A melodic voice said making me shudder. A lot of the Erasers had sounded like that for the longest time. "Go back and watch the house." Amberlynn snarled again, sounding so much like a dog I stared in her direction. Who was she talking to? _I_ didn't hear anyone coming, so how did Amberlynn? And why was this person watch our house, I opened my mouth but Amberlynn had becoming buried in the hard silence stalking off. I followed after her footsteps a little creeped that the person she was talking to could very well have the lightest footsteps I couldn't hear him. "Who was that?" I hesitantly asked. "Neo the Brat." Amberlynn hissed still stomping on. We got back to the caves when I grabbed Amberlynn's arm to ask her a question. Bad idea. With her other hand gripping my grabbing arm she jerked it at a painful level that I let go and she slammed me into the wall. "Don't do that _unless_ you have a dearth wish." She snarled in my ear acid dripping off her voice. Then she ran off, so fast that her footsteps disappeared I heard her screech for Dune. Footsteps ran up and past me, a little heavy suggesting Dune was still kind of asleep.

I shook my head turning ramming right into someone. "Whoops didn't notice you were blind there." The one Amberlynn called Neo said. It was really hard to sneak up on me, when did he get there!? "Just telling you that you saying anything about the guys that healed you I'll personally rip you apart. We don't need to blab to the whole world that these things exist." Then his voice was gone. Though I couldn't tell if Neo was gone as well. Carefully I chugged back down into the caves to maybe get some sleep.

* * *

God I just noticed most the chapters I have been posting are a little pointless, I am _so_ sorry! And the fairy things, blame my sister and my parents who made me watch Tinkerbell, I had fairies on the brain for awhile and this story does enlighten you that these things exist, you might think it's weird that they suddenly realize these things but it's because the human mind tries to come up with a logical explanation for these seemingly impossible things. Anywho enough of my kina scientific blabbering, it's probably making you fall asleep. I promise the story will get better, hopefully, I was kinda drabbling in Writer's Block at a few scenes *screams*


	17. Something Bad Is Going To Happen

**Assassination of Memories**

**Chapter XV- Something _Bad_ Is Going To Happen**

**I'm not joking I keep hating having to say I don't own Maximum Ride and Pretender, but I don't hate saying you've got to check out Blazes Wings, Shadows is in it, and the third chapter blends into the chapter with Blaze in the Flashback of **_**AOM**_** (I think it was chapter 12 or 13)! Thanks **_**pyroman-15-**_**! I do not own Blaze at all!**

**Shadows' POV**

"Something bad's going to happen." I said. I was sitting in the living room; the TV was on while Jared listened to the international new report. I had this feeling, and I was creeping Tranq out by repeating it over and over again. "Like, how is something bad going to happen?" Tranq asked. Hunter, Neo and Bronze were watching TV too but Hunter seemed distracted by me, Neo was huffing in irritation. "We left Ride at the caves, Iggy was introduced to the pathetic fairies... something bad's going to happen." I said fiddling with the hem of my shirt. The mood drastically changed twice, once to that unavoidable peril that was quickly changed by Bronze who toned down on the doom. Jared muted the TV making Neo huff again.

"What do you mean something bad is going to happen Shadows?" "Something bad's going to happen." I repeated not listening to him. Something was! But I didn't know what. It was driving me insane, not knowing what bad was going to happen but something bad was to unfold. "Why is it bad for her to be saying something bad is going to happen?"Hunter asked. "Could you say bad a few more times?" Neo muttered. Hunter shot the Dead-one a glare. "Cuz Shadows can see the future, if something bad is going to happen then something bad will happen. She's never wrong with those things." Bronze answered. "And how bad is this bad?" Hunter asked. My head was starting to hurt with the overused word. "Since she's it over and over again I say something very, very terrible." Tranq replied. Thank you for not say— "At least he didn't say bad." Neo muttered this time both Hunter and I shot him a glare; mine more deadly than the first stage lyc.

I stood wordlessly leaving the room with Hunter at my heals. "Shadows, hey Shadows wait up. At least tell us what's going to happen!" Hunter said as I passed the stables. The horses shrieked when we passed though stopped when we kept going. "Shadows—" "The reason I'm not saying what's going to happen is because I don't know what's going to happen. I just know that something really dreadful is coming up." I snapped stopping far from the house. Hunter backed off a bit looking a little grim. "Sorry it's just, I don't know what it is about you but I feel I should make sure your okay." Hunter said. You never doubt a feeling like that in a Lycan. They could be very... protective of ones they thought like the pack. "Whatever." I said turning away from Hunter. "Shadows, is there more to the reason why you left?" Hunter asked. "More than that book of yours?" I stood there in silence wondering if I could tell him. "I didn't... I didn't want to become insane. Blaze showed me what would happen if I stayed to long." I said.

"Blaze, that was the new guy right? The one that went against Artemis' order?" Hunter asked, I nodded. "He almost killed me. Like it when he scared me." Hunter muttered. "He was bloodthirsty; I didn't want to become what he was..."

"_I would be there by now, damn I don't get why Father wouldn't let me fly there with you in a car. It's just going to draw attention." Blaze muttered arms crossed over his chest as I drove the sleek two-seater car silently up a road to the house of our target. I didn't look at him staying quiet. An MR 6 now, Blaze could very well tell me to stop the car and let him out. Why the hell he didn't he just order me to stop the car? "A couple pointers. Stay silent and hidden, you let anything see or hear you just eliminate the target and get out of there. Don't leave any traces unlike your first mission," I whipped my head in Blaze's direction as he bluntly explained he had seen FBI records of the scene I left after my last mission. _

"_Just listen, watch and stay hidden. Stop here, you can't just tell you target your there by parking in their driveway." Blaze ordered. I pulled over off the road cutting the engine waiting for Blaze to get out first. He shot off so fast, I stayed glued to him as the small house appeared. We got up to the front drive where Blaze stopped in the bushes, glancing over the house. No one was inside they had left just awhile ago by smell, figuring that Blaze slunk over to the house looking it over for an entrance point. Idiot, carefully glancing through an open window I first checked for cameras before I slipped through it. _

_Blaze knocked me on the side of the head hard when he got in with a small growl. I looked around, peering closer at some images in frames. Most was of this one young male with bleach blond hair and red eyes next to an older male with dark blond hair. Blaze huffed taking my shirt and dragging me to the second floor. I elbowed him in the face making him let me go Blaze glared at me growling again. _

_We positioned ourselves; Blaze was a little pissed I decided to stand right by the wall by the stairs like a statue. Blaze was in the master bed room of the target, finding a place to stay out of sight. It didn't take long, I played with a knife I had flipping it one way then the other, catching the blade then the handle, the blade then the handle. I heard the car first, I smelled it second. I listened as it stopped in front of the house, the engine stopped, doors opened then closed. The two males I smelled in the house weren't there, the older female and male of the house got out of the car though. I waited, listening as they talked downstairs. They were talking about something called a theatre, and something called the Pantry. I didn't understand them very much, though they were speaking English. "I'm going upstairs." The female said. I heard her come up the stairs, a piercing floral smell overloaded my nose making it wrinkle; she walked right past me the smell intensifying. I followed behind her really closely as she walked to the bed room though a little too closely, I stepped on her heal. I darted behind a bookcase pressing myself closely to the wall looking in the direction of the female yet not leaning over to see her. She stood there, breathing fast as I had defiantly startled her. _

_When she turned around and opened the door to the bedroom Blaze was in I darted in after her, hiding in the corner behind a table as she turned a lamp on that stood on the bedside table. I couldn't see Blaze, I smelled his scent all over the room, and his breathing seemed to come from everywhere. Holy hell where was he! The male came in just a little after; I notice the door didn't go all the way to the wall. Blaze was behind it, from the crack where the door separated from the frame I saw his dark brown red eyes lock onto mine. _

_Be quiet they said before looking away from me. "Hey so how about tonight?" the male asked. The female smiled when Blaze revealed himself, pushing the door away from him. The female screamed, just as the male turned the screech of metal against metal stung my ears and he went down already a bloody pool forming around him. 'Wait a couple seconds; I want to at least taste their fear.' Blaze had told me. He smirked and I stood pulling Zephyr's trigger. _

"Hungry for fear, I didn't want to be that." I said shuttering from the memory. Hunter nodded looking me straight in the eyes, "What happened to him?" I shrugged, I don't know what happened but Blaze disappeared after my first month. The Copies said Father took him to another location of the Organization where Blaze would be of more use.

By two weeks after the mission with Blaze I was promoted to Noble Master after a couple of missions with him. Five days after he disappeared I was promoted to Royal then past it, Father called the new rank _Killer of Shadow_. I was the highest ranked assassin ever in the Organization; Father told me Blaze was two ranks lower than me. He could have been lying though I had no doubt that Blaze would be Royal Master at some point, I wouldn't be surprised if he made it to Royal by know, even _Killer of Shadow._

I took a step forward (away from Hunter in this case) just to stop. I looked down flaring my nostrils. It couldn't be... I crouched down taking a sniff. "Hunter come here." I said. He came up crouching down beside me, frowning when he smelled it to. It was Fang's scent, minus the Blood Stone. Hunter had asked me before I left for work if Fang was the Stone Host. Hell ya, but it was gone from his scent here. "The smell of the Blood Stone doesn't come off the Stone Host. It smells faint instead, how could he get rid of it?" Hunter said probably recalling what Cain had taught him. "There is no way to get it off. This way." We ran off following after Fang's scent, Hunter had turned into a dark amber wolf at my side. He was in my 'imaginary' world, why? I stopped knowing very well far away from the house it was Fang's scent, sighing I confessed to Hunter we should keep our eyes on Fang. Hunter nodded and started to turn when he suddenly blinked turning back. He whimpered, then whined and lastly howled. I clamped his muzzle shut hissing at him like a cat.

Little Angel peeked through the window from what looked like the kitchen, her eyes sweeping the area. "What is it?" I heard Fang say from inside. Angel shook her head, "I don't know, a dog maybe." She said. Hunter jerked back from me crying a mournful howl. I jumped on him, knocking the large wolf to the ground sticking his face in the ground. "Shut up." I snarled. Something was upsetting Hunter, something aro— No not around, something in the house!

* * *

**Hunters POV**

I didn't like it; there was something in that house that should be feared, instead of listening Shadows kept trying to shut me up. I whimpered begging her in my mind to let me go. Where was the other werewolf? That werewolf would be able to hear my yelling, why didn't she come? Cain, he'd hear me. However Shadows had other ideas keeping me pinned down. "Hey Fang." I heard the seven-year-old say turning away from the window, "Shouldn't we be out with Ella, Nudge, Gazzy and Max's mom looking for Max and Iggy?"

"We'll stay here in case they come back." The fifteen-year-old I got the journal from answered back. So he was Fang, Fang who somehow got rid of the Blood Stone scent. "Stay down." Shadows hissed in my ear sounding too loud with my wolf ears. I whimpered again trying to get Shadows off of me. She was lying on top of me, holding me down. I'm a werewolf, and she was holding me down! My front legs were pinned by her left arm, my back legs with her left leg. I was lying on my side while she looked at the house, her eyes flashing. "Come on damnit." She barked jumping up running to the house pressing to the side. I followed quickly after her; Shadows pointed her gun at me to stop me from howling. I whimpered again glancing nervously around. Then I heard the sound of a chopper, and couldn't help but howl. Erasers filled that chopper the blades shot their foul scent at my poor nose. "Fang!" the girl screamed. "Come on Angel," Fang said and they ran off through the house. "No wait Celeste!" the girl yelled running back to the living room. Shadows jumped through the window and Angel screamed, I followed after the assassin watching as she dragged Angel out the front door. "Let go of me! Amberlynn what are you doing?" Angel shrieked.

I whimpered again, Shadows glared at me dragging Angel out the door barking at me in Howling to keep Fang at bay. I couldn't go against it, I turned to Fang launching with jaws wide open. The windows smashed opened as Fang battered me to the side, I slammed into the wall barking at the Erasers that jumped in through the windows. _No, no, no!_ I thought taking off after Shadows with Erasers snarling after me as Fang sped after my tail. Ha get, after my— oh never mind! Shadows had thrown the girl over a shoulder, literally ripping any Erasers apart that got in her way. Angel continued to scream pummelling Shadows back with angry fists, while Fang was behind me at all times eyes wide and rapidly blinking like he had something in his eyes. "You filthy **BASTARDS**!" Shadows screeched with rage as an Eraser feel down bloody and screaming in agony. I caught up to her looking at Shadows in concern; she almost blew my head off with her gun. "Let go of me!" was shriek from Angel in the mix, in one of her hands was a battered bear with wings. Fang, looking silent and deadly followed after us until some Erasers ran into him driving the boy into the forest. "NICK! Let me go, Amberlynn we have to save Nick!" Angel screamed still banging her fists on Shadows' back. Shadows took off through the forest, I barked telling her to watch it. Jumping to the side Shadows evaded Max who practically yelled after the assassin I barked an Eraser snapping at my heels.

_Shadows! Darn I wish you could hear me_ I thought Angel screamed for Max. Shadows' Howling was an angry viper, I clamped down on the Eraser's arm ripping it off. He shrieked (like I needed anymore of that) collapsing to the ground before I ran off after Shadows again with Max now on my tail. "Let her go!" Max roared lunging towards me as if Shadows would stop if I was taken captive. _Fat chance_ I thought, though I pushed forward with my back legs so she couldn't grab onto me. Wait what was I thinking! She's a human (even though she reeks of bird like Shadows), she can't pin me down.

Right?

"**MMAAXX!"** my ears folded against my head, I almost brought my paws up to cover my ears mid-run. "Shadows!" I barked just to mentally slap myself. Shadows couldn't understand me like this and there was no way I was changing in front of Max and Angel. An Eraser jumped at Shadows, fully wolf-ified snarling. Shadows halted making the Eraser stop short crouching a few feet away. Shadows raised an eyebrow cocking her head, the Eraser snarled and jumped at her. Shadows dropped Angel grabbing the Eraser by the neck. Holy macaroni she was strong. The Eraser clawed at her arm, I had stopped a ways back trying to figure why this scene looked familiar. Shadows brought the Eraser closer growling in its face Max stood just behind me eyes wide. "How ya doing Aden, miss me?" Shadows snarled with a sinister smile. The Eraser's eyes filled with fear, he clawed more furiously. Shadows face became deadly blank again looking right in the Eraser's fearful eyes. "Where's Blaze?" she hissed. "What?! The psycho hasn't been seen for months!" I coward at the familiar hoarse voice of the Eraser's. That was Aden, my _commander_. Oh great this wasn't going to turn out well. Then I remembered he was in the clutches of Shadows and kinda felt sorry for my ex-commander. "Where. Is. Blaze? Answer the question." Shadows snarled.

"Like I said no one knows where he went! All I know is he became a Royal at some point! And someone said something about he might have gone past it!" Aden cried, red spotting his claws. Had he gotten to the bone yet? There was a vicious **SNAP** and Aden went limp, Shadows dropped the lifeless body on the ground with a look of disgust on her face bright crimson blood covered her hand. Angel trembled behind Shadows the little girl's eyes widening in horror. With a blank face Shadows' grabbed Angel's arm forcefully pulling the girl to her feet turning to take the girl away. "Let go of me!" Angel screamed struggling against Shadows. "Let. Her. _GO_!" Max roared launching for Shadows again. Spinning around Shadows' foot collided with Max's face sending the Ride to the ground. "No, let me go!" Angel tugged on her arm trying to get out of Shadows' grip. Shadows barked at me in Howling again, I bounded towards her and Max slammed into me. She punched me hard in the gut; I desperately tried to get a bite on her to no avail. "Shadows!" I yelled knowing that it would come out as a desperate bark for help. Max was kicked off of me Shadows held Angel up by an arm. The little girl looked like she was trying to make it seem like she wasn't in pain while Shadows glared at Max. "Don't touch him." Shadows hissed as I scampered to my feet. "Let go of Ariel." Max snarled back.

"Don't you mean Angel?" Shadows dangerously asked giving Angel a shake. Angel bit her lip to stop from screaming. I whimpered to tell Shadows what she was doing was wrong, she snapped at me in Howling to shut my muzzle. Max glanced at Shadows to Angel to Shadows again mouth slack. I whined again, the smell of Shadows' blood was making my stomach sick. Shadows barked again, this time just a dog bark. I jump back now Max's head was bouncing back and forth from me to Shadows. _Where are_ _the Copies?_ Shadows asked in Howling I shook my head doing my best to shrug my shoulders. Shadows dropped Angel who ran back to Max hugging the order girl tightly. "It's not over yet." Shadows muttered not even turning when Fang broke through the trees looking tired and now smelling a lot more like the Blood Stone. I stared at him in awe, breathing deeply through my nose to get that wonderful smell of the Stone_. 'The Stone Host will seem like_ _the most amazing person in the world to you, if you're lucky it'll be a girl for you to hook up with.'_ Giles' words echoed through my mind making me slightly disappointed. "Their after you, Neo get over here now damnit!" Shadows snapped I barked defensively as the leech appeared making my gut twist with anger. Neo's eyes locked right into Fang's, with this admiration that made me sick. The Blood Stone was wanted by all vampires, they smelt it they craved it. "Snap out of it before I snap your neck." Shadows hissed making Neo glare at her. "The Copies are after him for the Stone. Take him home." Shadows ordered Neo smiled stepping forward when Max jumped in front of Fang, Angel protectively behind her. "He's not going anywhere. What the heck is happening here?" Max snapped clearly ticked. "Neo." The leech moved so quickly Max didn't have enough time to spin the ones she was protecting before Neo had killed all five Erasers trying to sneak up on Max. "Filthy dogs, just like you mutt." Neo spat in my direction, I growled in response. "You don't want those things catching Kiba **(A/N: little side note you say it key-ba) **unless you want him completely drained of all fluids." If I could I would have made a face to Shadows' remark, Neo took down another Eraser that tried jumping down on top of her.

"These _things_ are idiots. Where is the brains Father, or did you forget to put any in?" Neo muttered. "What do you mean, what do they want with F— Nick?" Max asked. Shadows didn't answer pointing for me to take the Eraser coming on her left side. It was a little more brutal than Neo's job but hey, I hated these things. Suddenly Fang was struggling against Neo's gentle hold behind Shadows. Max's eyes bulged before she attacked, with a quick swift movement that seemed as if Neo didn't even move he pushed her back into a tree where she crimpled in a pile. Fang kicked, punched, trying everything to get away from Neo before the vampire shot off, Fang's scream of pain echoed through the forest as Neo almost ripped Fang's arm off.

"My, my, what a display. Nicely done." Someone said my gut coiled once again at the smell of vampire. I brought all my courage together in a snarl spinning to the vampire in the try behind me. I knew this one, it was Holden. "Ah Hunter nice to see you again. How's your sister? Oh I'm sorry I forgot she was dead." Holden said with a smile. I almost leapt forward before Shadows stopped me glaring at the new arrival. "Is that the Blood Stone I smell? Oh you two down there smell delicious." Holden licked his lips. "What the hell do you want?" Shadows said looking bored. "How about those two to go?" "Leave unless you want me to make your eternity a living Hell." Shadows snarled. "I spotted a large, sorry huge pack of savage Lycs heading into the area, a few hundred maybe. Now my payment will be those two." Holden said not taking his eyes off of Max and Angel. Shadows stepped in front of them making Holden frown. "Get rid of the pack, divert them." Shadows ordered. "Damn you haven't paid me for the last three things I've done for you. My payment is those two, maybe the Blood Stone if you keep acting like a stupid brat." Holden spat. Wait Shadows has deals with this jerk!? I gave her a look of pure hopelessness. "Smug corpse." Shadows hissed. "Filthy bitch." Holden snarled back. Suddenly Shadows moved, though not quick enough to stop Holden from clamping his jaw down on Angel's shoulder. Shadows slammed into Holden ripping him off the girl that collapsed to the ground with a high pitched shriek. Holden licked the blood off his lips smiling and disappeared. "That was a Pureblood!" I cried; Shadows seemed to understand that by Angel's ongoing shrill. "Angel! What's happening to her?" Max looked horrified and panicked; the blood at Angel's wound was turning silver. I writhed in pain as Angel's shriek passed the pitch human ears could hear, Shadows was sent down on her knees holding her ears. I thought my ears were bleeding before the range of pitch passed my hearing, in pain Shadows threw the still silently screaming Angel on my back screeching at me to get to the house. My ears hurt, every jerk from my running sent a shock of pain through my body but I ran.

We didn't need a newborn _six-year-old_ vampire on our hands.

* * *

**Max's POV**

"Tell me before I kill you." I yelled after Amberlynn now that we were running away from Erasers, again. Angel had screamed when the guy bit her, a huge wolf had taken her to the same place Fang had been dragged off to right now and Amberlynn could out run an Eraser. Does anyone see anything _wrong_ here or _am I going crazy_?! _'Angel is hurt Max, follow Amber.'_ The Voice told me. _Why would I do that!? We're_ _going in the opposite direction the wolf went!_ I thought horrified about what was happening to Angel. The chopper had become mysteriously quiet for a bit after I ran after Amberlynn after seeing her _tear Erasers apart, _the terrifying sound of its blades chopping the air followed above us bombarding Amberlynn and I with Erasers_. _This girl was strong, much stronger than any regular person and she had kidnapped Angel and Fang! Amberlynn wasn't tell me what was happening to Angel, she didn't answer a single question until she pulled me to a tree shoving me into a hole bellow the roots. I slid down a dirt tunnel landing in a pile at the end of the tunnel that was now two feet above me; Amberlynn flew over top of me rolling into a standing position. "She was attacked by a Dead-one. If we don't get her to Jared no one will be able to see her again for a couple hundred years except Neo." Amberlynn said pointedly turning to me. Her glasses still haven't fallen off yet, did she glue them to her ears?! "She won't live that long are you stupid! People only live for around a hundred years." I said knowing very well that I possibly couldn't even make it close to that age. I was still wondering if I'd get past twenty. Amberlynn's mouth became a white line, showing me she clearly wasn't going to talk to me.

Where ever we were could do well if it was only me and a Flock of three on the run, a bunch of army cots were spread over the place, the ceiling wasn't caving thanks to the steel plates with metal beams keeping them up. There was a small rectangle shaped opening in the corner which is where Amberlynn went bringing out eight cans of sealed ravioli. She threw four over to me, using a small can opener to get to her food throwing the can opener to me to open my can. I let her dig in first though the cans looked relatively sealed so I stuck my own fork she gave me in it devouring my ravioli. Ever so often we'd stop to hold our breaths as heavy footsteps rang down the small tunnel we had come through, waiting for whoever was there to go away. We didn't talk; sitting in a silence I swear was going to make me go insane. No words exchanged, not even hateful ones left mine or Amberlynn's mouth. We sat there, long after we finished our ravioli, while Amberlynn constantly glanced at the entrance tunnel. It must have been around 10:53pm that Amberlynn led me out through another tunnel, disappearing so quickly that I had no idea where she went. "This way Ride." I spun around as she walked away, hands in pockets. She walked quickly in the direction of her house, greeted by the wolf that had taken Angel away. "How is she?" Amberlynn asked. The wolf tried to shake and nod its head at the same time. "And Kiba?" Why did she keep calling Fang that? The wolf seemed to shrug. Sighing Amberlynn gestured me to follow walking in through the back door of the house. "What is she doing here?" The young boy that looked around Angel's age spat when I walked in the door glaring at me. I saw Dune look up then back to who he was bandaging up.

Fang.

"Neo you almost ripped his arm off." Dune said not pleased with the other boy. "Hey the other guy was coming, didn't like the feel of him. Don't understand why you're making deals with him." Neo narrowed his eyes at Amberlynn. "There's a pack coming in fast, we don't do something you'll be torn to bits and this guy will be taken for food." Amberlynn jerked her head in Fang's direction as I rushed over to him touching his head. "He's out cold," Dune said to me, "and if someone was being a little gentler..." he trailed off glaring over his shoulder at Neo. "Damn with the pack, make the other one do it." "Left after I refused to give Ride and Angel to him for payment." Amberlynn answered Neo blankly. "God why do you make me do the messy stuff?" Neo huffed pushing himself off the couch and to the back door, glaring at the boy that had come from the cave area Amberlynn went to as he went past. The boy glared after Neo, the boy almost looking like he was going to growl. Suddenly someone came up from a door looking at Amberlynn. "Where's Neo?" the man asked. "The stinking brat just left." The boy said just for the door to open and Neo look in. "What is it Ethan?" Neo asked looking a little unhappy. "We need you." At the man's words Amberlynn stepped in his line of sight staring at him. "There must be another way." She said dangerously. "What if I don't stop?!" Neo looked scared. "If we keep discussing this she'll be a Dead-one in minutes. Neo get down there and do what Jared says." Ethan's voice dipped down into something I didn't understand, without complaint Neo went to the door gliding down the stairs. Ethan went after him shutting the door. The boy glared in Amberlynn's direction, "Why did you let that happen, the filthy leech won't stop when he gets a taste!? He'll go into a feeding frenzy. He'll kill that girl!" Amberlynn didn't look at the boy instead looked at me in this 'I'm sorry in advance' way. Sorry for what? What was the boy talking about, feeding frenzy?

The shriek blasted my ears with horror, the boy was sent down on all fours. "Angel!" I screamed running to the door giving it a vigorous tug. "What is he doing!? Make him stop!" I screamed trying to throw the door open. Dune came over pulling me away from the door as I kicked and screamed with Angel. Amberlynn was trying her best to stay on her feet; it wasn't long until she was on her knees. My scream kept rising until it hit a certain note when something odd happened.

I wasn't too sure if Iggy decided to drop a bomb in the living room when suddenly everything went a bright white, Dune was ripped off of me. Amberlynn and the boy slammed against the far walls, the boy slid across the island in the kitchen knocking plates over to smash on the floor. A chair barely missed Amberlynn smashing into pieces five feet away from her on the wall. The couch Dune slammed into flipped over which he was now stuck under, I collapsed to the ground adrenaline pumping furiously in my blood. What the heck just happened? So quickly I almost didn't notice it happen Neo fled from the door to the stairs to the second floor not taking notice to what had happen. However Ethan's eyes bulged at the scene, the boy moaned standing up picking pieces of plate out of his hair. Dune wiggled out from under the couch staring at me then looking to Amberlynn out cold sagging against the wall. Fang's eyes blinked open, nothing had happened to him thankfully. "What happen?" Ethan demanded. "It was like she exploded or something." Dune said. A little out of balance I stood up noticing that nothing was within four feet of me. The coffee table, a couch, even a rug had pushed back at least four or five feet away leaving a clear circle around me. What had just gone on my head was throbbing painfully from it. Angel wasn't screaming anymore, Amberlynn aroused glaring at me. "You're lucky I don't send _you_ flying all the way to Alaska." She dangerously hissed swiftly standing up, Fang was up in seconds getting in front of me, his jaw setting in pain. "Move it Kiba." Amberlynn growled Fang narrowed his eyes in response.

"You're in no condition to pick a fight boy now move before I shove my foot up your ass." Amberlynn snarled more fiercely. "Amberlynn if you touch one of them _I_ will deal with you." Jared said in a deadly tone narrowing his eyes accusingly at Amberlynn from behind Ethan. "You're lucky I haven't punished you for taking Jeff out of the hospital." How exactly would he punish a girl who could kill an Eraser with one bare hand? Did Jared know Amberlynn could do that? He seemed to figure that out by the blood on her hand. "You explain what happened, you a fifteen seconds." Jared barked his face changing drastically as he looked at the girl opposing Fang. Those caring dark eyes became deadly, dark shadows falling under his eyes and check bones. It looked as if Jared suddenly became a demon; Amberlynn regarded him calmly. "The Copies attacked Angel and Fang, we ran off, Max tried to stop me, I kill one Copy, Neo brought Fang here, Angel was bitten by a Pureblood leech." Amberlynn spat over her shoulder after the last word looking disgusted. "Angel, Fang? Shade I think you're a little confused." Jared said. He had changed again, looking like he usually did. "They all lied." Amberlynn said bluntly.

Jared glanced at Fang and I then back at Amberlynn. She sighed and thanked him for saving Angel. "If that little girl turned I'd hafta kill her." Amberlynn said going past Jared down the stairs. Jared didn't look happy with her remark, I pushed past him not caring, clomping down the stairs. I halted at the bottom at the smell of anaesthetic Fang supportively put a hand on my shoulder nodding. I took a deep breath rounding the corner.

There was a wall with a large window, where I saw Angel lying on a hospital bed right by the window with a bandaged wrapped around her neck. Her face was a creamy-white pale, dark spots under her eyes. Amberlynn stood looking at Angel with her arms crossed over her chest muttering something about Angel looking like crap. There was a door on the wall that I quickly walked over; my hand just grasped the handle when Amberlynn perked up. "It's locked." She said frankly I gave a tug anyway. Amberlynn was right about the door being locked though uncharacteristically she didn't smirk when I failed to open it. She was staring at Angel through the window, a distant look in her eyes behind those glasses she always wore. "Stupid to let my guard down actually. Shoulda know he'd bite her." Amberlynn sighed, "'Course wouldn't have happened if I kept up with payment. My bad." She said looking at me. Though it was like when Iggy was trying to look at my face he couldn't see, Amberlynn looked at me the same way. Did Amberlynn _care_ for Angel? It didn't make sense. Then again never did any of my life. "We kinda got off on the wrong foot kiddo, even though you tried to be nice despite how Max looked at me." Amberlynn said looking back towards Angel. "Can you forgive me?"

Jared walked up behind me looking at Amberlynn. "She's gone insane." Fang murmured. "Shade are you okay?" Jared asked. All these people were bipolar or something, just a minute ago Jared had gone deadly on Amberlynn now he was worried about her. "Save the world, and all those Godforsaken people in that world. What you do not know is which world to save. You only know one but there are many more worlds than the one we live in. But why save any world? No one has done anything for you to deserve to have you save a world." She turned back to me her words striking me hard. "The world does not want you, do you not see. Why save a world that does not want you? Why save those souls that destroyed your friends' lives and even your own? Why do anything for anyone when all they give you in return is pain and cruelty? What if you showed the world you had no intention in saving it? They would go after you just because you did not want to save the world when in fact it is their own faults for underestimating you. They do not deserve to be saved when they deny you because of what you and you're friends are. They're the freaks." Amberlynn became dark.

"Amberlynn what are you going on about?" Jared asked stepping forward. The boy that seemed to despise Neo had come down the stairs and was staring at Amberlynn in concern as she continued. "Blow all the specks away, all the ones that have harmed you. A scream is all you need; you have the power to destroy those who are traders!" Amberlynn cried pointing a finger at me. "Shade stop, this isn't like you." The boy said jumping in front of her shaking Amberlynn's shoulders. She backhanded him in the face knocking him over. He fell to the ground shock written all over his face gazing up at the fearful girl.

"Destroy _Father_." Amberlynn said to me and shrieked collapsing to the ground.


	18. Burning Back

**Assassination of Memories  
Chapter XVI- Burning Back**

_Where the hell did everyone g— __***hacks***_

_God I'm really hating being sick right now, I can't afford to miss classes right now_

_..._

_..._

_God damnit I swear if they try to ambush me I'll kill 'em_

_........................_

_HEELLLLOOO!!!_

_..._

_Yo White Wing Jackass where'd ya go!?_

_..._

_Good god __***coughs***__ where is everyone? __***coughs harder***_

(Wolf comes hoofing over a hill looking like he's been tortured for hours on end)

_Finally someone I can talk to! Whoa Wolf what happened to you?_

Wolf: Twihard ***pant*** mob ***pant*** remember?

_Oh yeah... how'd that go?_

Wolf: do I need to kill you?

_Nope_

Wolf: Did everyone leave 'cuz you don't own Maximum Ride, Pretender and Blaze?

_I'm rolling my eyes Wolf. Hey do you know where everyone's gone?_

Wolf: ***shakes head***

_Guess we'll find the bastards later. Anywho ON WITH THE CHAPTERSTORYSHOW! _

* * *

**Shadows' POV**

_Where are we?  
What the hell... is going on?  
The dust has only just... begun to form crop circles in the carpet  
Sinking... Feeling...  
_

"So where's Stinky?"

I glanced over in silence to Blaze sitting next to me. We were in the empty Yard out to get some fresh air and awake before anyone else. I didn't answer him my eyes sweeping the vacant field. Sure he was a MR 6 and I was a MR 5 now however I found that Blaze didn't care very much if I listened to anything he said. Artemis was probably in her room dreaming about people she has killed instead of being outside in the crisp air with a layer of mist shrouding the ground. Blaze's wings were slack on his back, the Draco like wings answering why he smelt a little scaly. I hadn't shown him my wings, yet why would I show a higher rank my failer? Blaze stared at the sky above us that was its usual twilight blue I was now use to. "I think I'm going to be leaving soon." Blaze said giving me a sideways glance. "Do you see anything?" I looked away tapping into his existence in time. No, nothing yet. "I will watch." I told him. He smirked at me, "Promise to continue to watch even when I'm gone?" I gave a swift nod. And I did, I was still watching now for him. Watching his future for him ever since he asked me if I saw anything so long ago.

_Spin me 'round again and rub my eyes,  
This can't be happening  
When busy streets a mess with people  
Would stop to hold their heads heavy..._

I brought my knee up into the Copy's gut, my fists following to his chest. He went down with a whoosh as I knocked his disgusting breath out, I spun cracking my foot into another Copy's head. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fell like a brick, my hands shot out decapitating the two charging for me. Copy blood dripped down my face as I righted out rolling one shoulder then the other. Warm sticky blood coated my hands the smell so awful I felt like I was going to vomit. Was I done or were they still stupid enough to come after me? They kept coming.

_Hide and seek  
Trains and sewing machines  
All those years  
They were here first_

I ducked from Teacher's attack dropping down to the floor on my back rolling out of the way snapping my leg up to his face. This training session wasn't helping me very much; I was still tired from moving from the Runes to the Organization after Father had found me. I flipped with one hand up to my feet a battle roar pouring out my mouth as I ran at Teacher. He evaded with swift ease unlike my jaunty movements, his foot colliding with my forehead. I panted lying on the ground, Teacher stood over me with a look of disappointment. "Battle cries are useless other than warning you're opponent your about to attack. Shut your mouth when fighting unless it's taunts." He lectured turning on his heel to leave. I swept his feet out from underneath him, my fist met his jaw.

I bolted up right panting, sweat dripping off my face. My life had gone backwards, all ending with learning fighting from Teacher just a little after I was brought to the Organization. I took a deep breath hearing Ride, Fang and everyone of my family not including me or Neo downstairs talking. "What did she mean Max?" Jared was asking. "I told you I have no idea what her words meant. Is she crazy or something?" Fury made my blood boil, though before I went into a raging rampage I calmed myself down telling myself I'd kick Max's ass later. "You're lying I saw the way you looked when she was speaking to you." Hunter shot back. "Your pupils dilated when she told you you shouldn't save the world. What is up with that, huh? Why would you need to save the world in the first place?" Neo's smell drafted down the hallways making me feel sick. I was in my room in bed, the curtains drawn to keep light out. I had a throbbing headache making me rub my temples firmly. "Hunter if you haven't noticed the world isn't completely perfect." Neo said downstairs. "You know what I'm saying. Why does a _fifteen-year-old high school girl_ need to save the world? I know very well one person can make a difference but I doubt she'll be able to save the world all on her lonesome." Hunter responded. "I'm still trying to reason out why you lied about your names. I happened to be working for the police and if they find out anyone has—" "Amberlynn told us already, we'll have the whole police after us." Ride cut Jared off. "That doesn't matter right now, is Angel going to be okay?"

"Yes she will be fine. Her heartbeat is a little fast but that would be from her body fighting off the venom. Though I have to warn you that she might act a little odd; even though we got rid of all the venom her body will still think she transformed." Jared said in a matter-of-fact tone. "I'm missing a piece here, you keep saying transformed but into what exactly?" Max inquired. She wasn't going to like it and Jared couldn't put it in a nice way. "The thing that bit Angel was a Pureblood... vampire," I could just see Max's eyes widening in disbelief, "her body thinks it's transformed so if she talks about smelling or hearing anything it's because the instant the venom hits the blood stream those are the first infected. She will also be craving red liquids and foods though it's not a good idea to give her blood of course. If she starts bleeding make sure she doesn't suck on her finger to long. If Angel ingests too much blood she will transform then we will have a problem." Jared told Max. "That's what Amberlynn was talking about when she said 'Pureblood'." Max muttered. "Hey I think Shade's up." Said Hunter, I heard Max and Fang jump off their chairs just to have Jared tell them to sit down. "Hunter will you go see Shade, please? I want to make sure she's... okay." Jared's voice asked downstairs. A flash made me choke; to my horror tears blurred my vision. _'To make sure she's... okay.'_ He was referring to the time I came back after running into Blaze. I was tough, I never cried, no one had really seen me cry before Hunter stepped into my room pulling back my curtain his eyes widening. Tears fell down my cheeks making wet spots on the sheets that clung to my clammy skin. I looked up at the roof, the tears sliding down my neck making me shutter. Blaze, he was going insane, I was _worried sick_ for him. He might have been a blood thirst killer but he didn't deserve to go crazy like that. "Shade?" Hunter's voice was shaking. I choked out another sob, the tears an unstoppable waterfall down my face. I closed my eyes the memories flooding back into my mind.

_**Flashback Starts**_

Today was my second that I disappeared from Jared's place to escape for myself. Sure I was missing out on a bunch of school but after completing Jared Rehab I needed time alone, of course I left Jared a note. Even though we hadn't been with him long I found that he would freak out if I didn't tell him where I was going. Just a few days ago Jared had come back when he said the Centre was on his tail, he had come back with a boy that looked oddly familiar to me that we later found out that his parents had been killed sending him onto the streets. His name was Bronze, and after his older brother died he thought no one else he loved would. He hated himself for going to a friend's party thinking he could have stopped the murderer. I highly doubted that.

My backpack was barely full with things I needed, I was going to live like Cain and his pack. I stretched, quite sleepy after the machine gun sound of the rain last night not understanding why Mother Nature hated me so. I sundered to the cave entrance breathing the crisp recently-rained air. Hands in pockets I walked away from the cave taking a curious sniff. Was that... _Blaze_? Why was he here? Then the sickening sweet smell of a Dead-one almost made me hurl. I attracted those bastards like a Blood Stone I was starting to wonder if I was the Stone Host. I whirled watching as the beautiful creature ran towards me fangs bared to bite my neck. I smelled Blaze's scent getting closer as he tried to save me. He did that a bit in the Organization, taking down Copies that bugged me. My hand shot out slicing through the Dead-one's head. Ice cold silver blood coated my hand instantly looking for cuts to seep into my blood stream. It was like slow motion as the Dead-one's feet flew out from underneath him the rest of his body collapsing to the ground, a pool of silver blood forming around the lifeless mass. Blaze had landed a few feet away from me crouching with his ninjato, Feuer, drawn. "Blaze." I breathed making him flinch. It had been so long since I've seen him; I was hoping he left the Organization. He hadn't, his eyes told me so. That animalistic flare in his dark red-brown eyes had intensified, narrowing at me. No, Blaze why? "You've come to kill me." I stated calmly looking him in the eyes. The smell of the corpse behind me seemed to make that animal in him a little excited. "Blaze you have to leave that place. I did." I said to him watching as his grip on the blade tightened. He was hesitating, I knew well why. The times we had spent together, even if it was to kill people, had made him grow a little close to me. We were both a little human, it was human nature to hesitate when faced with a decision in ending someone's life when you spent quite a bit of time with them.

"I'm not going to kill you." I told him. "I will defend myself if I have to." I was slightly bent at the look in his eyes. Like he was fighting with himself, like the animal side of him was yelling at him. I stood there knowing very well Blaze wanted to kill me, I knew he wanted to taste my fear as I died. Watching him suffer in front of me was too much. "Blaze," I stepped forward watching as Blaze opened a pill bottle popping some pills in his mouth taking them dry looking back up at me launching forward with the blade aiming for my heart. Damn I shouldn't have dropped my guard for him. I flipped over him in a no-hand cart-wheel, flipping the other way as Blaze was too predictable to take my legs out if I landed behind him. I ran off towards the forest my vision faded in and out slightly. I continued to run like I had on a treadmill Jared had. I had gotten to 200 miles per hour on that thing, on ground that wasn't in motion I bet I could run faster. Blaze ran after me, my footsteps one step in front of his. I couldn't see him since he was so far back; I jumped into a tree hoping to hell that he wouldn't hear me. When I jumped I almost seem to stay in the air for a couple more seconds than usual. I slunk back over to where Blaze was, standing in a fir tree eight feet above him. He turned to me though he didn't attack. "Blaze listen to me, you can't keep following Father's orders." I said my voice slipping into a plead. He seemed to get angry putting a hand up as the black haired girl stepped forward. "Cool it Blitz." He muttered. His voice pierced me hard after hearing it so many times in visions. "Blaze please, you're going insane, stop before you lose what little sanity you have left." I begged calmly. He didn't seem to be listening, that look in his eyes told me he so dearly wanted to kill me. "Blaze would you just listen to me?" I continued slightly hurt that he still didn't have that listening look in his eyes. He stared at me like I was a prize deer and he was a hunter set on tracking me down. I set my jaw, pushing the useless pleading aside as a boy with paranoid crazed dark red-brown eyes huddled in a ball twitching and rocking back and forth on his heels flashed before my eyes. "I've seen things. You, your targets, your missions, your battles, everything. I've seen the outcome of all before you even knew about a fight or a mission. Blaze it's going to end badly for y—" "Shut up and get it over with!" The black haired girl yelled launching for me. "Damnit Blitz, I said cool it!" Blaze growled grabbing onto the girl's foot mid-air throwing her against a nearby tree. The girl got back up aiming a gun at me, Blaze tackled Blitz as she pulled the trigger. The bullet whizzed at my head, I ducked slightly as it flew past skimming against my cheek. Blitz kicked Blaze off of her rolling into a crouch with a Japanese looking sword in her hand. "What the hell are you doing!?" she screamed at Blaze I looked over to my former half-partner. "I said calm down Blitz." "My name's not Blitz!" she grunted launching at Blaze's stomach blade stretched out. A gut retching _squeltch _and _**thud**_ made my stomach lurch as the blade went through Blaze and into the tree behind him. That bitch would get her ass whooped later. The girl put her hand on the blade sparks flying; she was left panting holding the blade in Blaze's stomach. Blood was running out of Blaze's mouth he looked up placing his hand on her throat and burnt her. His power over fire was useful yet he didn't look strong enough to torch the witch. "That wasn't your smartest move." He said between coughs of crimson stinking blood. Pulling out another blade the girl brought it down on Blaze's forearm making him let her go. "You disobeyed Dr. Millstone. Now you're on your own, and you'll have all the Organization after you too." The girl coughed throwing something to the ground. Bright white light blinded me; once it was gone the girl had disappeared also.

I jumped down from the tree Blaze sighed coughing up more blood. He tried pulling the sword out of him and the tree by pulling on the rubber grip baring himself against the tree. I placed a hand on the blade swiftly pulling it out for him; Blaze sagged to his knees vomiting blood the smell making me almost hurl myself. "I should really stop getting myself pinned to trees." I heard him mutter and I couldn't help but smirk. He was going to be fine I saw that, he glanced up seeing my smirk. He looked like death falling unconscious after hurling more blood. I bent down taking a hold of his shoulders hauling him up to lean against me. His blood covered my hands and I tried my best not to start ripping Blaze to pieces. I put one of Blaze's limp arms over my right shoulder, moving him up so most of his weight was balanced on my shoulders most of his weight on the left shoulder. Picking up the blade that almost killed him I ran off towards the smell of Lycans.

_Have you been eating rocks since I last saw you Blaze?_ I thought as Blaze's body was making my own ache. I was maybe a mile away from the unknown Lycan pack; I was too far away to get to Cain in time. I stopped putting Blaze down on the ground ripping his jacket off and into strips trembling. _Damn no, I wanted to rip him to shreds, I— Stop thinking like that! I'm not an animal. But what if I was, it'd be okay_ _to— _**BLAZE! **I folded the strips together applying pressure to the wound trying my best to control myself as warm blood oozed through my fingers. I didn't want to kill him; a low growl started in the back of my throat my hands trembling violently. I saw the claws slowly stretch out over my fingernails I felt the urge coming stronger now. _No Blaze, you'll live, I won't— I can't kill you._ I pulled myself off of Blaze, the smell of his blood still making me shake. I remember what Giles did when something needed help; I threw my head back letting out a thunderous howl.

The world disappeared before my eyes becoming dark shadows that faded into a haunting black world. Between old man groans of trees the wind's wolf howl catapulted leaves into a fierce ballet above the ground whirled around a boy lying in the middle of the road. His black hair whipped around his face in a dark halo crimson red blood staining his shirt from the gaping hole in his stomach. I stepped forward frightened I would kill him. The leaves danced around me in a slow whirlwind, concealing me in a light leaf funnel as I proceeded up to him. I knelt down beside him looking at his pained face the leaves whirling faster. I leaned closer whispering in his ear, "I'm sorry; I should have been more on guard. If only I listened to what you and Teacher told me..."

His breathing was choked and raged, a trail of blood running down his mouth. My eyes burned blurring up, hot water seeping out of my eyes. What was this? I was... leaking? The water rolled down my cheek, dropping to the road beneath me. My throat closed up making me choke, the water started to fall in streams down my face. "Wh-wha...?" I stuttered. His eyes blinked open, staring at me through a haze. "What are you crying for?" he grunted. "Wha...?" I choked staring at him as a weak smile crept across his lips. "These," he touched my face catching some of the water, "are called tears. People cry when their sad." He was a little out of it, not thinking straight from the lost of blood, that happened to me once. He'd never touched me like that or had that look in his eyes when he looked at me.

His hand fell down to his stomach, his eyes fluttering close. "Blaze... Blaze? BLAZE! Blaze don't die on me you bastard!" I cried tears cascading down my face. "Don't die, don't die. Don't die without at least living in the outside world!" I screamed to the sky. The leaves, whirling dense, caught up so fast my hair swept across my face sticking to the tear tracks. What was happening? I looked wildly around; a hand was placed on my shoulder. My head swivelled behind me, a boy stood there smiling softly at me. His navy blue eyes told me not panic, his dark brown hair sticking out underneath his black cowboy hat, his dark skin almost matching his hair. He donned a faded blue jean jacket, a white shirt and faded jeans his feet bare. He looked Aboriginal. "Don't worry he'll be fine." The boy said a girl that looked similar to the boy but with dark fogged grey eyes placed her hand on Blaze's wound. Something told me the boy had done something wrong by talking to me from the way the girl looked at him sadly. She looked East Indian, her skin and hair darker than the boy's, her hair pulled into a braid that went past her waist. The wound in Blaze's stomach started to heal slowly disappearing before my eyes. "Take him to safety Shadows." The Aboriginal boy said.

My eyes blinked open, my fingers where pressing the blood soaked pad of strips to Blaze's healed stomach. "Blaze..." I trailed off. Remember he just had a sword stuck through his stomach -I touched the two large scales where the blade had passed through the gap between them- he's lost a lot of blood and he miraculously healed. Even the pathetic fairies couldn't do this well of a job, saving someone's life as they died. _'Take him to safety Shadows.'_ The boy's words rang through my head. I put Blaze on my back, taking off gaining speeds of 250 miles per hour rocketing towards the Lycan pack closest to me.

I stopped a distance away from them, knowing they would be able to smell Blaze's blood. I placed my old partner down staring at his blank face. I pulled a small sym-disk out of my pocket closing Blaze's left hand around it. This one was my favourite but I'd give it to him, maybe he could find something to play it on. I ran off, images from the footage I watched on that disk filtering through my mind.

'_Do I always have to save your ass?' Blaze said shaking his head. I rolled my eyes kicking the Eraser away from me. 'I didn't need saving I was fine on my own.' I told him. Blaze snorted, 'Ya, and that black eye of yours really tells me you were handling it.' I glared at Blaze as if I had lasers for eyes the black eye showing up like a neon sign on the black and white picture. 'Know what you're cool Shadows. Maybe a little bit of a brat but still cool.' Blaze said ruffling my hair. I rolled my eyes swiping his hand away, 'As cold as ice.' I replied. _

_**Flashback Ends**_

That day I had come back -I wanted to spend a month to myself but I didn't- I scared the shit out of Jared coming in cover in blood, shaking and looking near tears. I had almost killed Blaze when that damn animal almost came out. "Shade?" Hunter asked his voice shaking again. Thank god the tears were stopping I blinked the rest back looking over to him. "Y-you okay?" he asked. Hunter gave a sigh of relief when I nodded looking like he was going to collapse. "I was worried about you, again." He said I almost started crying again. When had I turned into a softy was beyond me. Another tear slid down my face. "I, I've never seen you... _cry_ before. You were always so tough in the Organization." Hunter said. "After keeping your feelings locked up," I found myself saying my eyes glancing out the balcony door windows, "they have to break out... someday." Blaze where are you right now? Have you become that boy I saw the day you almost died? Are you dead? "Do you think you can come downstairs?" I shook my head. I needed to be by myself for a bit, maybe not a month or two days but I needed just a couple minutes. "Feel better." Hunter said closing the door going to everyone else.

Once he was downstairs distracted by everyone else, I broke down into tears.

* * *

_Where are we?  
What the hell is going on?  
The dust has only just... begun to form crop circles in the carpet  
Sinking... Feeling..._

_Spin me 'round again and rub my eyes  
This can't be happening  
When busy streets a mess with people  
Would stop to hold their heads heavy_

_Hide and seek  
Trains and sewing machines  
All those years  
They were here first_

_Oily marks appear on walls  
Where pleasure moments hung before the takeover  
The sweeping insensitivity of this still life_

_Hide and seek  
Trains and sewing machines  
Blood and tears  
They were here first_

_Mm what you say  
Oh that you only meant well, well of course you did it  
Mm what you say  
Mm that it's all for the best, of course it is  
Mm what you say  
Hmm that it was just as we were meeting you decided this  
Mm what you say  
Hmm what did she say?_

_Ransom notes keep falling out your mouth  
Mid-sweet talk, newspaper word cut outs  
Speak no feeling no I don't believe you  
You don't care a bit, you don't care a bit_

_Ransom notes keep falling out your mouth  
Mid-sweet talk, newspaper word cut outs  
Speak no feeling no I don't believe you  
You don't care a bit, you don't care a bit_

_You don't care a bit_

_**Hide and Seek  
Imogen Heap**_

_**

* * *

**_

Thanks to pyroman-15- for most of that chapter, I know that it's going to seem a little copied from _Chapter 4-Back Burning_ in _Blazes Wings _that is done through Blaze's POV in Pyro's story. Continue to read, please don't stop.


	19. Neo Means New To This Life

**Assassination of Memories  
Chapter XVII- Neo Means New To This Life**

**Neo's POV**

She was the toughest person I've met in my 100 plus years so hearing Shadows' non-stop crying echo in through my brain from upstairs filled my soul (if I had one) with dread. Max and Fang, munching from a tray of crackers, were trying to squeeze answers from Jared. Many of them he couldn't or wouldn't answer as most concerned Shadows. I was starting to break down inside from Shadows' sobs above my head, it was hard to keep the bored composure on my face. I grabbed Hunter's arm when he was free dragging the Lycan to the kitchen wrinkling my nose at the disgusting smell of unwashed dog. _'He smells like he swam in perfume.' _Hunter disgustedly though his own nose crinkling at my smell. "You smell too." I pointed out Hunter recoiled in suspicion. I sighed letting go of his arm, the Lycan looked down at me. One downside in being transformed into a vampire at age six, you don't grow past your height. I was much, much older than this boy and he was looking way down at me still. "What happened when you got up there?" I said jerking my head in the direction of Shadows' room. "What?" "Don't play dumbass I can hear her from down here." I growled listening as Shadows shuffled on her bed continuing to cry.

"I don't know she was like that when I came up. She stopped soon after and said she was fine so I left. It wasn't until you pulled me in here I noticed." Hunter shot back looking grim. '_What could make Shadows so upset? Is it Angel, or something else?' _Hunter's thoughts whirled around my head in a frenzy; I rubbed my closed eyes with an irritated sigh. I tried to block him out just a little to no prevail. Lycans were odd that way, either I couldn't read their minds or I couldn't shut them out. "Amberlynn's been through a lot," I said sorting through Hunter's thoughts aware that Max was eavesdropping, "it could be a lot of things. By the way when are you supposed to be leaving?" I asked Hunter. I wasn't getting much off of him; he didn't even know about Shadows what I secretly knew. "Um the nineteenth I think, why?" Hunter's voice dripped in accusation. _'What is this leech getting at?' _I stared at Hunter trying to tell him with looks.

He wasn't getting it. '_He wanted me gone that for sure but why he brought that up now was beyond me. All I know is this probably had something to do with Shadows.' _"Try to understand that you have to leave in quiet awhile and Amberlynn is breaking down. Once you're gone we have to deal with her, she will most likely won't be able to hand it when you're gone." I said Hunter made a face confused by my words. _'I have only known Shadows for three days why would she breakdown once I'm gone? I tried to reason out why this was happening now.' _I sighed trying to explain this is a way Hunter would understand. "Okay here's the thing, Amberlynn says she doesn't become close to anyone but she's lying to herself. She's became attach to Dune even the way she treats him; she's attached to all of us and even you. She saves Dune's butt constantly, Amberlynn's going to start saving yours real soon." I told him making Hunter look away. "What does that have anything to do with this?" He asked not looking at me. Shadows' sobs had lessened now to shuttering breaths upstairs, once she was done I knew very well she would change to get rid of any evidence she had been crying. "If you leave as she continues to breakdown, in all probability Amber will snap." I concluded hoping to any damn gods out there this stupid mutt would understand me. "Hunter... Hey, Hunter!" I snapped my fingers in front of his face making him blink. "Wha...? Sorry what was that?" He stuttered his eyes gazing into my own. "Stay until the latest date possible." I repeated.

"...why...?"

I blinked sorting through his thoughts. "What were we just... talking about?" Hunter asked. He didn't remember I couldn't find anything other than up to the part that I asked him when he was leaving. You see when Lycans lose bits of their memory, that's a bit of a problem. It means their losing their human side. You see when a Lycan loses their human side one of two things happen; they become very smart docile wolves...

Or they become rampaging killers.

Memory loss around their Moons are okay since they lose most of their memory when they are forced to transform, however if they lose enough memory they're human side disappears. Hunter seemed to notice this also since he was shaking now, his thoughts whirling to horror. "How old is your dog?" I asked him knowing he would understand. "Ah... only around a month." His voice was shaking and his knees were practically knocking together. "This might be stupid right now though go back to Cain. You don't have to but you should." I told him. Nodding Hunter went past me, his footsteps heavier than usual. "That's the only thing I can sympathize with you Hunter." I said. Hunter had stopped with the door open, his shuddering breath directed at the back of my head. "Same here Neo." He said closing the door taking off towards Cain's territory.

'_You shouldn't have let him go.'_

_I know but I'm the one that's trying to be different aren't I?_ I thought. _Trying to prove everyone wrong that a vampire can get along with a werewolf? You know I always tried to prove everyone wrong even back then. _

'_Yes and look where that has gotten you.'_

_I was bitten on accident, sure I was trying to prove that vampires existed but I wasn't supposed to be bitten. _I thought walking to the living room. Shadows' was in her bathroom the water in the sink going, the water splashed against her face to hide she was crying.

'_Of course it wasn't supposed to be your brother.'_

I stopped in the door way my jaw setting. I wouldn't be like this, if it hadn't been Jonathan, my older brother, who I ran into that night around the time the Great Plague was declining. It had been so long ago that it sounded that Jonathan lived in this year, it sounded like I did too.

_That night was dark, even against mother's lecture I had gone outside. The stench of rats, decaying flesh and grime filled the air, rats scampered along the cobblestone, and I jumped out of the way of the disgusting looking creatures with greasy fur and bright red eyes. Red crosses dotted the doors of houses, I stayed away from those houses. If I got too close I would be infected too, then I'd have to be locked in my house infecting everyone else. I followed closely after the dark figure disappearing into the darkness hoping he wouldn't know I was there. _

_At times I thought I had lost him until I saw his cloak fluttering around a corner. Soon I was lost in the labyrinth of back streets, my head swivelling back and forth trying to find the figure. "Hello little brother." I jumped spinning around to find him right behind me. Jonathan was quite hansom, well I heard ladies saying he was beautiful but that is what men called women. His black hair tied back into a pony tail was done up in a haste, his perfect snake green eyes were cold despite the smile on his white face. My brother was a tall, lean figure underneath his cloak, his eyes flicked away from my face. I stepped back; his smile was wider than usual, showing two fangs among the teeth. When he said he thought he knew someone was a vampire I wouldn't think he was a vampire. And how was that possible!? My head was spinning; I fell when I tried to step back again. No, this wasn't good but he couldn't... he wouldn't..._

_Jonathan knelt down in front of me still smiling painfully. "Little brother mother has gotten the sickness. I don't want you to be condemned to death in that house." Jonathan said moving closer. No, no... Get away from me. I wanted to run but I was rooted in place as my brother overshadowed me coming closer to my neck. "Do not fight against it; it hurts if you do that little brother." Jonathan whispered in my ear sinking his teeth into my neck. My back arced Jonathan put a cold hand over my mouth to stifle my scream. Pain flooded my body burning in my neck, Jonathan's other hand was holding my up towards him. My vision blurred while my head spun, I don't know when but my eyes fluttered open. _

_Jonathan was standing over me, blood running down the corner of his mouth. "Get up little brother." He told me softly. I couldn't stand, I felt too weak to do so. "Stand little brother." Jonathan repeated gently taking my hand. I stood slumping against my ice cold brother. He took me by the shoulders kneeling down to look me in the eyes. "How do you feel?" he asked. My eyelids were heavy a thick metallic smell filled my nose. "Sleepy and weak." I muttered. Jonathan brought his finger up to his mouth biting on one of his long fingers. The smell filled my nose, a sweet smell I suddenly craved. I didn't wait for him to move, I clamped my mouth onto his finger where silver welled up at the wound sucking on it. My mind whirled; my own teeth sank into Jonathan's finger as I continued to take the wonderful tasting silver stuff. Jonathan smiled proudly ruffling my hair pulling his finger away. I tried to take it back but I saw no need, there was no more of the silver stuff there. "How did that taste?" he asked a hand on my shoulder. "Good." I said truthfully. I didn't feel weak or dizzy anymore though I needed a drink as my throat was dry. "Do you want more? This time it will be better." I vigorously nodded following after Jonathan. My brother had been so fast before, I could never keep up until now as I fell into step beside Jonathan beaming at him. As we walked in silence I began to hear things, grasping onto what I figured out was Jonathan's thoughts. He was relieved that everything was over and it had gone so well. But Jonathan was disgusted with himself at the same time, and then he noticed something probing his mind. I pulled back asking if I had done something wrong. Jonathan's smile didn't reach his eyes when he said that I didn't do anything wrong. He was upset somehow, he wasn't happy with me for some reason. I stopped turning on my heel pushing Jonathan's thoughts away. A broad man was walking down the street his back turned to us. I could hear a _swish-swish_sound coming from him that made my mouth water, the fast beating off his heart made me feel like an energized puppy. I shot off with newfound speed bringing the man down as I collided into him, sinking my teeth into his neck where the mouth watering swishing was the loudest. The man struggled for a moment before he became limp underneath me; I thought two things when the thick sweet metallic fluid flowed into my mouth. _

_This is _wrong_._

_**I want more. **_

_Suddenly Jonathan's arms wrapped around my waist, I wailed in protest as he heaved me off the man. "You are going to kill him if you keep feeding little brother." Jonathan said fiercely. His words struck me hard. ...Kill...Feeding...? What was he talking about? Until my head spun as I looked down at the man I didn't understand. The man was bleeding from two wounds at his neck. No, I couldn't— I wasn't just _drinking that man's blood_. I was horrified; Jonathan noticed feeling sick with himself as he put me down away from the man. I was trembling uncontrollably as Jonathan knelt down beside the man placing a hand on the man's temple. He looked at me sadly sorry for doing this to me. Once he had finished whatever it was he came over putting his hand on my shaking shoulder. Tears burned in my eyes as Jonathan's mind touched mine trying to calm me down. He pulled me into a protective hug whispering a language I understood in my ear. He had turned me into a vampire...__**WHY!**__ "I'm sorry brother I could not see you die in that house along with everyone else." Jonathan said in my ear in English this time. I was still shaking like a leaf on a windy day making my older brother tremble. "You're going to have to get used to it little brother that is how we live now." He pushed me away a little looking me in the eyes. "Can you handle that?" _

_I sealed my mouth shut blinking the tears back nodding solemnly. I could handle it; I could live with it as long as I could live. Jonathan touched my neck looking at his hand. The tips of his fingers were silver like the blood that had come from him. "There is no turning back now Ash we are Silver Brothers now."_

That was years before my brother was killed by a vampire hunter somewhere around the time that Bush became President. That same vampire hunter shipped me with him to Africa where Jared found me. If he hadn't I would be dead now. Jonathan didn't like feeding off of humans yet he never thought to feed off of animals. That would be the only reason why I don't go against Jared's rule of no feeding on humans; Jonathan was sickened by the notion of doing that even though he had to. So I got by with animals, for now. Silver Brothers was a term for a vampire to change his human brother into a vampire so we both had each other's blood. I still had Jonathan's blood in me so I tried my best for Jared not to look at it under a microscope. "What's wrong with you?" Bronze asked. "Nothing, just... remembering something." I said Max's eyebrow rose in suspicion. "So Max," She looked back to Jared, "Where did you say you lived before again?" Jared asked. I guess I was a little focused on Hunter and old memories that I missed some part of the conversation.

"I think it was close to Blaine, I can't remember very well." Max said. She was lying; I saw the little flaw in her fib. She had looked up to the left (from my view point), a sign of constructing something in your mind. So she was constructing what the house in Blaine looked like to herself. Then she looked down to the right showing she was mentally talking to herself. Even with the heavy block over her mind I could practically see 'Well done Max' written on her forehead. Jared caught it too since, it's almost impossible to lie to a Pretender; he had too much police experience. "Really..." she looked at Jared at the sound of doubt in his voice. Speaking to Jared wasn't the best when he was telling a lie if you know what you're looking for, Max seemed to know that he had doubted her lie. Shadows was coming down the stairs now, I turned to her with a smug smile. I opened my mouth to say a snide remark when under her glasses Shadows' eyes snapped to Fang's face.

And all hell broke loose like the dam for Lake Mead crumbled.


	20. Mistaken Identity

_I don't own MR, whoa that was plain_

**Assassination of Memories  
Chapter XVIII – Mistaken Identity **

**Shadows' POV**

How could I be so utterly _stupid_!? No wonder he was familiar, no wonder the feeling of anger rose a little when I first saw him! How could I not know it was _him_, the sick betraying _bastard_!? The instant I got down the stairs my eyes were on Neo, but at the sight of the black hair whipping to the side my eyes flicked to his face. Calm like I had always seen, even when he beat the living daylights out of me. Rage boiled in my blood, instincts though calmed me down enough that I didn't explode in the worst way. But I still did. I shot towards Teacher snapping my leg out; he ducked jumping back like he always did. _'Sometimes cowards do live, be a coward at first then come back with a wave of bravery.'_ Teacher's words echoed in my head making me clench my teeth. I jumped over the couch ignoring Max's yell of protest. Teacher was going to die, and he was going to die **now**.

I brought my knee up into Teacher's stomach lashing out at him keeping my arms in for protection. He dodged, predictably his leg shot out to take me down, I flipped sideways bringing another raged kick at his head. He blocked that coming at me with a punch that snapped my head to the side. Blood exploded in my mouth; I spat it out in Teacher's eyes. I didn't admire him anymore.

I hated his guts.

Teacher stumbled back narrowing his eyes at me past the blood. I pissed him off, oh well. Spinning on the ball of my foot I planted a round house kick right in his chest sending him flying. I snarled pouncing on him my fist colliding with his cheek. When Teacher whipped his head toward me three jagged claw marks spilling blood was on his cheek even though when I had punched him all my fingers where coiled, he pulled his feet to his chest pushing with all his strength throwing me off. Neo held Max down the best he could, looking like he was struggling to restrain himself. I brought my arms up to shield my face from Teacher's punch mentally slapping myself. With all the strength I could muster right at the moment I unleashed the power on him, sending him across the room and into the wall where the drywall gave way. He was stuck in the hole he created, vulnerable for attack. I shot at him again when the shadows of the furniture leapt up wrapping around my arms and waist keeping me suspended in mid-air. Teacher tried to use this to his advantage being restrained against the wall by more shadows.

"Can we all just calm down and talk this out!?" Tranq said. I just realized he was there, and Bronze and Jared. Oh shit I was in trouble. "What the hell do you think!?" I barked though clenched jaw and teeth feeling like I was about to implode. I was seething, rage filling my vision and better judgement. The glare Tranq shot at me was like one I've never seen him use; it reminded me of Teacher almost. That made my gut coil with hatred and wrath. "Let. Me. Go." I said coldly narrowing my eyes at Tranq. He held my glare with his own. "Both of you stop, Neo leave." Jared ordered. Neo disappeared which instantly wasn't the best idea. Tranq's reflexes needed work; he couldn't grab Max with his shadows before she punched me in the face. The taste and smell of blood wasn't helping, I was shaking with fury wishing I could kill people just by looking at them glaring at Teacher. "I need to rip his guts out." I snarled not taking my eyes off of Teacher. "Shade!" Jared barked fiercely. "I hate you, how could you turn me into this!?" I snarled at Teacher. "I don't know what you're talking about. You've got me mixed up with someone else." He retorted in his way. "Don't act like you don't know me, you taught me how to fight dumbass!" I roared. Teacher as always was calm his eyes telling me that I was letting my rage come out, looking completely disappointed with his student. "You turned me into this cold hearted killer you sick bastard!"

"I have no idea what you talking about." Teacher said calmly. "Like hell you do!" I screeched. "Shade calm down! You're working yourself up." Tranq said. He saw my face, the look in my eyes, the way I trembled under the shadows restraining me. To my horror I felt my eyes welled up with raging tears. "How could you tell me killing was _right!?_" I screamed. _Shadows stop it, don't do this to yourself. Your turning into Blaze_ a little voice in my head told me, I set my jaw the tears in my eyes disappearing. "You destroyed me. Are you happy Ari!?" I snarled. His eyes widened then fury, hatred; total loathing filled those dark eyes.

"You think I'm that evil psycho path?" He snarled back looking like the devil from hell. Instantly I knew I was wrong, that I had the wrong person. That snarl, it wasn't Ari's, it wasn't him. I had almost warped right in front of him! No I did warp, when I punched him. The claw marks left a dark red stain on his olive cheek, it was still bleeding heavily. My head hung in guilt, some of my hair curtaining my face. I calmed down enough that Tranq let me down but he let Fang down at the same time. His punch broke my nose, sending me to the ground. I didn't complain, I didn't even glare at him, I hung my head feeling the blood flow to my mouth shut tight. I waited for the punch or kick I deserved that didn't come, Fang just glared down at me. Tranq let Max down coming over to me sweat on his forehead. "Are you okay, I mean, your head?" he asked looking concerned. I looked up at him, for the first time since we had met, I shook my head. It was throbbing dully but it still hurt, Tranq asked Bronze to go get some Tylenol.

"I'm going to need two bottles worth." I told Bronze my headache getting worse fast. "Even for you that's overdose." Jared said firmly. I shook my head, "No I need two bottles. It's not overdose for me Jared. Every time I've asked you to get pills I have to get a second bottle." I told him. Bronze nodded going off the bathroom. The silence wasn't the best, the feeling in the room no better. Though it was a little better when Bronze stepped in with two glasses of water and two bottles of Tylenol. Max and Fang watched in suspicion as I quickly downed both bottles almost choking, Bronze held out the first-aid kit to Fang. Hesitantly the dark boy took it sitting down to patch himself up. Max was still glaring at me, sitting next to Fang. "How do you know Ari?" I asked Bronze shot me a look to say the atmosphere in the room was already bad enough. "He tried to kill us a couple times; he was Max's half brother." Fang said calmly. Okay maybe not calmly, more seething-ly. "Was?" I said trying to grasp what he was saying. "He died almost a year ago." Max said coldly. "That's impossible." I said getting daggers glared at me from Max. "He died right in front of me." She hissed. "No, because the last time I saw him was February." I shot back making her eyes widen. Fang's jaw set a little, a patch of gauze over the cuts I gave him. "I'm surprised you haven't killed yourself Ride, having him as a half brother." I said making her glower. "How do you know him?" Fang asked making my chest tighten. "He was my teacher." I said frankly. "What did he teach you?" from the way Max looked at Fang I guessed he didn't talk much. Just like Teacher. My mouth became a white line, I didn't speak. "You said something about killing. He taught you _that_?" Fang seemed disgusted even through his impassive face. Ari had that same face; I had learned it off of him. I didn't look away, "Yes." Max looked like she wanted to kill me, appalled by the idea jumping to conclusions. Probably the right conclusions. "Tranq go upstairs to my room, there's a piece of folded paper on my desk. Bring it." I said. "Okay—" "Wait you lied too? You told us we'd be in trouble because we lied about our names. Look who was talking." Max blurted out. "I didn't say that Ride. I said _anyone _who lies about their names would have the police over them." I shot back as Tranq left. Max instantly narrowed her eyes at Jared, "How come you're lying to the police then?" Jared shook his head already guessing what Max was thinking. "You've got it wrong Max; I'm part of the police so they won't get the idea to search into her past. I'd be surprised if you haven't heard any of the rumours floating around." Jared said. Max was defeated and she didn't like it. "Tranq what have I told you about look through things that aren't yours?" I said without having to look at the demon standing at the bottom of the stairs behind me. "How did you get this!? Do you make Hunter get it?" Tranq cried. "How do you know Artemis?" I asked directing it at Fang ignoring the demon behind me. Both of them tensed, ready to fight. "You're Shadows." Max said eyes still narrowed. "Brilliant deduction, Ride. Curiosity killed the cat, Tranq, give me the journal." I hissed. He didn't, he threw it to Fang. "I don't know how she got it but it's yours." Tranq said sounding betrayed. I was wondering if Fang's eyes were getting tired from glaring at me for so long. "I didn't get to read much, just something about a girl name Serenity." I said Fang was still tense, the journal clutched in his hand.

"From what I've heard this Serenity was a big person in Iggy's life. Girlfriend? Or even a bit more than that?" I asked. "You're sick." Was Max's come back. I decided to play with her. "Fang will you quit that." I said calmly as if trying to remember my lines for a play. "Quite what? Breathing?" Max pushed herself against the couch as if to get away from me her eyes widening. "Who moved the table next to the stairs? Sorry, Iggy. The staircase just looked so empty. Don't forget I'm blind." I rambled onward making Fang blink. That was Teacher's way of being shocked. "I'll make eggs. I don't want Max to burn our last frying pan—" "Alright stop!" Max snarled. I looked them both in the eye; Fang was really suspicious now, Max too. "You really freaked out the last time Ride, what, grew up a bit?" I asked smugly. "Keep talking and I'll break your neck." Max growled. "Don't push me Ride." I snarled back. "Shadows stop." Jared said. Suddenly I heard whimpering from down in the basement.

"Angel's up." I said. Max shot off the couch, I followed after her so she wouldn't do anything stupid. She glanced over her shoulder as if I was going to start my possessive preaching again. Angel still looked like crap, still chalky white; her blue eyes dim as she looked at Max through the glass. "Max?" she croaked, Max looked pained. _Be nice to her for once_, a little voice said, _try putting yourself in Max's shoes._ I blinked staring at Max.

She cared for this girl dearly and Angel had almost been taken away from her. I could see Max was trying to be strong, not to show anyone her weakness for this young girl. I looked at Angel trying to put myself in Max's shoes. Suddenly I felt a pang of guilt for not being able to keep Angel safe from Holden, angry at him for almost turning her into a Dead-one. But I didn't feel like killing anyone for it, I felt like I needed to do everything I could to make sure Angel got better. These feelings were new, alien to me. Could I really start caring out of the blue? Was the other person that was angry at me for overshadowing her really me? It was all making my head hurt, even with all the freaking Tylenol I had ingested.

Max was talking quietly to Angel through the glass, asking questions that Angel could nod or shake her head to. "Where's Iggy?" Angel hoarsely asked. "Back at home, Angel just rest okay?" Max said. Angel's dim gaze fell on me; I felt a probing at my mind. A curious kind of probe, almost like antennas of an insect looking for trouble. I resisted trying to violently force it out, instead I tried to grasp onto it, understand what it was looking for. It wanted to know why I helped, and how I could stand against the Erasers. What where Erasers? Oh yeah, that's what Tranq called the Copies. I wasn't use to this and all the while I knew the probing was coming from Angel. _Put yourself in Max's shoes, _the little voice reminded me. I must be going insane but I tried to get the reason for Angel's mental probing. She was also scared; well I did kill a Copy mercilessly in front of her. I let the probing in just a bit; giving her the weird feeling that had overcome me the instant I realized what was happening. She seemed satisfied at that backing off. _Well_ _that was an odd experience _I thought giving my head a shake. "I'll leave you alone." I said walking past Fang who had just come down. Tranq was standing at the top of the stairs giving me an odd look. "Be wary, Angel is a telepath." I warned him.

* * *

Okay so that seemed a little bit like a filler chapter but my imagination and creativity are a bit lacking right now (if it isn't always) So those of you who have put me on the Author Alert list (that's the little list on the left corner there) know that I have a new story _White Snow Fire_. Now this is a little thing for times like this, I can't think of what's gonna happen next in _AOM_ I go and write _WSF _(kinda looks like I'm swearing there doesn't it?). It's about a girl named Lynx, and so far as Dygen Entreri (man that's a mouth full) has commented it isn't as crazy as _AOM_. Yeah, so far. Well gotta go before my mother chucks my computer out the second story window!

~Akiko~

_The window, the window, the second story window  
If you don't know your nursery rhymes  
Your going out the window_


	21. Suicidal Shadow

**Assassination of Memories  
Chapter XIX – Suicidal Shadow**

**Shadows' POV**

"SHADOWS!"

I looked over as Tranq clomped down the stairs his eyes full of horror. Fang raised an eyebrow sitting across from me as Jared prepared dinner in the kitchen. "What?" "There's this guy hanging up on the back of your door." Tranq gasped looking like he was going to be sick. I had smelled something funny earlier but thought it might have been a side effect of Angel's mind probing. I tipped my nose to the air and flared my nostrils my stomach lurching slightly. I rushed up the stairs slamming the door to my room open. I heard a groan as the door slammed into wall, I pushed it back to see Holden on the back of the door. He was covered in his own silver blood but his smell was faint, meaning he was going to die. But it was how Holden was held up on the door: with a long oriental knife stuck through his stomach and 'I picked up your tab' scratched into the wood of the wall next to him. I knew that writing, but I had to be sure.

"Who did this to you?" I hissed grabbing Holden by the collar. He moaned again trying to bring his hand up to choke me. His hand only moved passed his waist. "Answer me." I snarled. Tranq was standing off to the side watching me. "Jackass." He spat out. Well at least Neo didn't have to kill him now; I took the knife out of Holden's stomach making him sag down the door like a depressed rain drop.

Holden's eyes barely had any life in them as he looked up at me; the stupid emotions that the little voice in my head had brought out gave me a weird pang of an emotion I couldn't describe. "Who did this to you?" I said slowly grounding out the words in vicious snarl. Holden just kept looking at me. "I can make this a lot more painful for you. I'm in a good mood, don't wreck it and you _might_ go peacefully." I said a little gentler.

Yeah. A _little_.

"Did he have black hair? Tall with a cloak? Dark red-brown eyes? Answer me Holden!" I was near screaming. I didn't know if Blaze had survived the month I had left him a mile away to the mercy of Lycans, though for some unknown reason I had just forgotten about him until I busted Iggy out of the hospital. I needed to be absolutely certain; I could barely smell anything but Holden's blood so if Blaze's scent was anywhere in here it'd be difficult to find it. "That bastard will pay." Holden spat. So it was Blaze. Weirdly, even though he tried to kill me, I was relieved that Blaze was alive. It meant that the thing I did for him wasn't wasted. Whatever that was exactly, I was sure that I didn't heal Blaze's Swiss cheese stomach.

"Where is he?!" I barked. Holden simply glanced out the balcony doors. They were closed but when I came up to them and put my nose close to the handle sniffing I could smell Blaze on it. He had been here, oh he had been here. I blinked at my own thoughts wondering where that had come from. I wondered if he had watched the symm but I highly doubted it. I straightened up opening the balcony doors stepping onto it. He had defiantly been here, the fresh air got rid of Holden's smell and I could smell Blaze's scent over the balcony where he landed. I remembered those dark red Draco like wings that were so powerful whenever Blaze took from the sky and I on the ground. He looked intimidating, using them to get his point across Copies' thick heads. Powerful yet graceful at the same time, he wasn't like some of the few Copies that once had wings who could barely fly in a straight line. Those guys didn't last long, barely even four weeks before Copies stopped getting wings. I glanced down to the ground a story below me then back up at the sky. The only thing is I wouldn't be able to find his scent on the ground if he flew and right now Max was behind me staring at Holden. She looked torn between complete horror and ripping Holden's guts out. "Shade? Who was here?" Tranq asked beside me looking out over the balcony. "Blaze." I breathed surprised by the slight admiration that filled my voice. I was changing right now, I knew Blaze had been startled by how much I had changed since leaving the Organization but I was changing right now. Emotion in my voice? Emotions I've never felt before starting to make me sick with feeling? As I stood here thinking of Blaze I was turning into something different, _someone _different. I could see Tranq noticed that.

"Shade what's happening?" He sounded concern. I shook my head, sure I was having all these new emotions running amuck inside me but I was impassive on the outside to anyone else. "Who the hell did that to him?" Neo said staring at Holden, Max jumped realizing he was there. "Someone named Blaze." Tranq said turning to the Dead-one. "Blaze, the one you ran into? The one when you came home you were about to break down, that Blaze?" Neo said. "Stay out of this _Ash_." I growled not in the happiest mood right now. "After going to a certain museum I found that records from the Great Plague that says you haven't died yet. You might want to go fix them before someone else with enough brains gets their paws on them."

"Are you bipolar or something? Just now you were all calm now you're getting pissy with me." Neo growled back. Max's head was whipping back and forth from Neo to me like she was watching a tennis match trying to decide to butt in or not. "What do you care if Blaze was the one whose blood I was covered in when I came back, huh? When the hell did you start caring?" I snarled trying not to warp. _Calm down, he's a smug corpse but this is what he wants. He wants a reaction._ The little voice said mixing in with my own thoughts. I was angry, I was upset and I was just downright sick with the alien emotions whirling inside me. I wanted Blaze to explain these things to me; he had so much more experience what with being the first person to tell me what crying was. I felt like fling myself off the balcony even if I couldn't fly; I just wanted to feel the freedom that weightlessness had. I was just so damn confused, nothing made sense anymore since my world had turned upside down. My eyes moistened but I knew I wasn't going to cry, though I did know that my emotions were going to flood out if I didn't do anything. I ran out of my room pushing past Max, jumping the stairs landing at the bottom with a thud. "Shade—" I flashed passed Jared out the front door just wanting to get away from everyone. I couldn't take it; I wanted them to leave me alone forever. And I knew how.

I pounded for the mountain that overshadowed our house, running on hands and feet for speeds of 460 miles per hour just to get there faster. I got up the mountain going around to the rocky jagged side where the trees disappeared, where the mountain started to drop off. I wanted the highest ledge, I wanted the most freedom and I wanted the fastest leave. A cliff appeared in front of me probably six-hundred feet away. I kept running my feet thudding against the rock. I heard the sound of huge bat-like wings pushing the air maybe a hundred feet away getting a burst of speed. I felt like shooting at him to make him leave. The cliff was now three hundred feet away, I straightened up into running on two feet. The wings swooped down, beating at the air as he rushed after me.

"GO AWAY!" I screamed my voice showing the anger, confusion and fear that whirled around my head. It felt like I was going to be sick, my throat closed making me choke. He couldn't catch me, without feathers he couldn't make himself anymore streamline to go faster he had to rely on the power of his flaps to push him forward. I pounded my feet against the rock to get away from him, I sprinted the last of the distance flinging myself off the edge of the cliff. I felt his fingers just brush my back but I was instantly out of his grasp as I began to fall.

* * *

**Carter's POV**

She flung herself off the cliff! How stupid could she be!? Why the heck was she trying to kill herself in the first place?! The one I knew as Blaze almost had her yet she slipped through his fingertips. He hovered just a little past the cliff for a moment before he aimed down and tucked in his large dark red dragon-like wings dropping like a rock. Beside me Nevaeh's eyes widened as she watched her Protected dived after Shadows. "Shouldn't we do something!?" she cried.

"She flung herself off a cliff I can't really save her now. How could I be so stupid?! If someone's running towards a cliff they don't exactly stop right at the edge." I muttered to myself tipping my hat up slightly, "Come on Blaze I'm counting on you." Nevaeh glanced over to me her dark fogged grey eyes moistening. "If she dies you'll be gone! Carter don't tell me we can't do anything but sit here." A tear rolled down Nevaeh's cheek. I wish I could say something but all I could do was look back towards the cliff.

To the say the least I was scared, if Shadows died then I'd have to go with her as her Guardian. And Guardians couldn't come back after passing their Protected on. Please Shadows I'm begging you to stop being the brat you aren't and be the person you really are. I thought my fingers lacing around the IS necklace in my pocket.

* * *

_Alright that's all I can do, you guys if there's anyone religious out there can you like, pray for me? I've been having this pain in my side and my dad's starting to think it could be appendix related. I could have a ticking time bomb in me waiting to literally burst. I'm scared guys, really scared. I'm scared of the pain, the surgery I'd have to go to, the needles... the list could go on. Please, I don't care if you send me a prayer or anything, just pray for me, I could really use it._

_Thanks guys_

**~Akiko~**


	22. Mama Told You Not To Bring Killers Home

**Assassination of Memories  
Chapter XX – Mama Told You Not To Bring Killers Home**

Logan: Does anyone know what chapter we're on? I can't read Roman numerals

Neofreak: well ten is X, two tens make twenty so therefore XX is twenty

White Wing & Wolf: Your making my head hurt

Jake: Anyone know how Akiko's doing?

Tristan: pyroman-15- does probably, Akiko's been PMing him a lot recently

White Wing: Akiko and Pyro sittin' in a tree. K-I-S— ***tank falls on White Wing***

_If you make my appendix explode I'm gonna kill you_

Logan: She's fine

Wolf: Can't exactly say the same for White Wingding though

White Wing: (from under tank) shuddup!

_Yes Pyro seems like the only person that really cares, he's such a gentleman! _

Wolf: Maybe White Wingding is right

_***Growls like a Rottweiler* **_

Wolf: ***yelps and hides under couch***

_On that cheerful note, whatcha people been doing since I've been in the hospital for two days? _

Shadows: I jumped off a cliff in the last chapter

Logan: Ack she's back ***hides under couch with Wolf***

Shadows: Hi to you too

Jake: Why are you here Shadows?

Shadows: the Mythbusters marathon ended

Neofreak: You watch Mythbusters?

Shadows: ***nod***

Jake: she watches Mythbusters?

_Uh yeah, is there something wrong with that?_

Shadows: they're damn funny

All: ...

_Okay since my humour has completely evaded me let's get on with the freaking chapter Pyro's been begging for and before I forget, I don't own MR, Pretender or Blaze_

**Shadows' POV**

Cool fresh air howled in my ears, my breath caught in my chest. I felt... free. Like this was how it was supposed to be, I was supposed to be in the air, the weightlessness felt natural. All my worries were left on the cliff, all my problems, my fears, the confusion from all the new feelings I was getting. My wings itched to snap open but what use would that be? I couldn't fly, I already tried and failed. I was just falling, both to the ground and into myself. It was a blissful feeling, just pure freedom. I didn't think of the earth a thousand feet below me that was coming towards me. I didn't think of what would happen when I hit the ground. Was this what it was like to be on a cloud? It was just... it's hard to describe it. I heard the sound of another body falling behind me, Blaze wasn't giving up. Though he was directing himself towards me I was still out of his reach, I glanced over my shoulder to look at him one last time.

His face was set the determination to catch me clear on his face, his dark red dragon-like wings pressed tightly against his back; Blaze's hair was swept upward out of his hard dark eyes. He was still covered in blood like no time had passed since I had dropped him off a mile away from that Lycan pack, covered in his own blood and even some silver blood of a Dead-one. I pang of guilt hit me hard and if I had stopped at the cliff I probably would have fallen off from the feeling. I could see the fright in Blaze's eyes; he knew he couldn't catch me. "Go Blaze." I told him. It was monotone as always, not angry or even the tone I had screamed at him before I jumped. "What the hell are you doing!? Don't tell me _you've_ gone insane." Blaze shouted at me through a clenched jaw.

I frowned slightly looking away from his eyes. The ground was coming fast, less than a hundred feet under me. "Why won't you fly Shadows!?" his words took me by surprised. "I know Shadows; you don't think you could pick up all your fallen feathers did you? I don't know why you never flown before but that doesn't matter. You tried to save me even though I was trying to kill you, just open your wings for god's sake!" Blaze roared.

I took this in, but why should I try to save myself? So he could kill me after? No, Blaze must've changed since then. But what did it matter if I lived or not? I was just a small speck in the universe, such a small obsolete part no one would miss me when I'm gone. _Wrong,_ a little voice said in my head, _think about it._ _Tranq, Jared, Tale, Bronze, Rose, the Pack, maybe even Blaze, all those people will miss you when you die Shadows. _I took a breath thinking it through. _Hurry Shadows, you don't have too much time to think_ the little voice said.

"Never think," I said the corner of my mouth twitching into a smirk, "Just do."

Fifteen feet of pure midnight black feathers shot out, rocketing my body upwards past a startled Blaze shooting me into the sky. The wind whistled through my feathers, my muscles working strongly with a down stroke sending me higher in the sky. My mouth agape my wings worked without thought, leaning my body slightly I swiftly rose up to the right. The last light of day hit my wings, setting the silver in the feathers ablaze with light. I saw a face of a girl in orangey silver on my wings, tears streaming down her face before I pushed down again the face disappearing now that the sun didn't hit it at the right angle. At least two thousand feet below me Blaze snapped open his own wings, his legs almost crashing to the ground before the wind caught in his wings like a huge parachute. I wheeled through the sky, banking, swooping, even pulling of a loop-da-loop like a large dark bird in the orange-purple sky. Blaze had to use more muscle to work his way up to me, I felt kind of sorry but he had the muscle needed to work his own wings. I couldn't sit –or fly still. I just kept moving, pulling off aerial tricks I had seen planes do. The thin air was making me feel a little giddy; I swooped down rounding Blaze before flying vertically up. Blaze watched me as I danced through the air, more graceful and even more powerful than he. It all felt natural, I wanted to stay in the air forever. Blaze decided to break up my fun parade but I flew away from him laughing. It wasn't taunting, it wasn't because he was too slow, it was just because I was having fun. If he was going to talk to me, he was going to have to catch me. I turned away from Blaze, angling myself towards home going as fast as I could, Blaze ten feet behind and above me. When the house came in view I landed with no problem as if I had been flying for my whole life, almost forgetting to fold my wings all the way in as I ran to the house throwing the door open. "Jared!" I cried, throwing myself at him wrapping my arms around him. Don't ask me where the heck that came from, Jared stared at me; his arms slightly up, away from me. "Who are you and what have you done with Shadows?" Jared asked. I looked up at him letting him go knowing he could figure it out. He saw my windblown hair, the look in my eyes and probably the little tint of red in my nose and ears from the cold being up so high. Jared's face lit up in a smile I would not dare to crack, my face was blank again. "What did I tell you?" he asked. Okay now I couldn't help it: I smiled beaming at Tranq. He smiled back cautious to hug me. I rolled my eyes reluctantly holding my arms out. He hugged me tightly almost breaking a couple ribs. Blaze stood at the open door, watching as I peeled Tranq off of me looking straight at him. "Who's standing at the door, and why is he covered in blood." Tale asked from the bottom of the stairs staring at Blaze.

Heads turned, Blaze's eyes filled with a dangerous fire when he spotted Fang. Crap, I moved quickly grabbing Blaze's wrist as he coiled his fingers like he was holding an invisible ball. "Not Ari, name's Fang." I hissed glancing at Blaze's hand. He extinguished the small fire he had started eyes narrowed at Fang. Blaze gave me a questioning 'why-the-hell-does-he-look-like-him?' look while Max moved protectively in front of Fang glaring at Blaze. "Angel what are you doing up?" I asked not even looking at the girl. Blaze was still giving me looks that constantly changed; one that stayed was when he smelled Neo's scent. Blaze stiffened at that, though his face changed when he saw Angel. She stared at Blaze, Max seemed to edge closer to the little girl.

"Who's that?" Angel asked, Blaze looked into her eyes. "I'd stay out of his head. Not the nicest place." Blaze's eyes shot over to me in the WTF gesture. Angel blinked looking at Blaze again. "Think of a wall, I always do." I told him. "Why do you think of a wall in the first place?" Blaze asked. I pressed my lips together before cracking his famous smirk. "Cuz she's bored." Neo answered for me, Blaze just about brought out his knife. "I'm in a good mood. Don't ruin it with trying to stick a knife in his chest." I said.

"Good mood? You just ran off with suicidal thoughts." Neo snorted. "Crap maybe _I _should stick a knife in your chest since you ran away my good mood." I snarled. "Ooh she is bipolar." Neo snickered. I stepped forward just as Blaze stuck a knife right through Neo, setting his shirt on fire. Neo shrieked Howling curses falling back, black fire spreading across his chest. He screamed rolling over trying to put the fire out, throwing the knife he had pulled from his chest aside. Tranq pulled a bucket of water out of nowhere throwing it on the black flaming Neo dousing the fire instantly. Blaze stood stiffly trying to control the animal in him from making him throw more pain at Neo to watch the Dead-one suffer. Neo painfully curled into a ball tears streaming down his face. Blaze smiled, "Serves you right you disgusting leech." Blaze ducked as Jared swung at him; I had to push Blaze aside to stop him from attacking Jared back.

"Everyone calm down now!" Ethan snapped, everyone couldn't help but comply. Blaze sat down on the couch probably feeling uncomfortable with suddenly being calm. Yet as he sat down he didn't look like he was suffering anymore, when Ethan had ordered us all to calm down the animal inside Blaze must've calmed down to. "A– Shadows, who is this?" Jared said setting his jaw so even though he was calm he got the fierceness he wanted. I looked over to Blaze waiting for him to make the decision. "Don't look at me, we're both wanted by the Organization, I'm no longer a higher rank than you." Blaze said –surprise– calmly. He didn't know that I shot past him, oh well. "Blaze was my partner for awhile in the Organization, well part-time partner, a mentor that Father gave me." With both cringed at the name since we couldn't get infuriated with Ethan's calmness.

"We knew each other for at least a month before they sent Blaze to Second Branch–" "Second Branch?" Tranq popped up.

I shot him a narrowed glanced, the best I could do right now. "Sorry." Tranq muttered. Neo was uncurling himself from his ball, pain in his perfect eyes. "Second Branch was another location of the Organization run by Dr. Millstone. It deals with the storage and supply, that's all I know about it." I turned to Blaze looking at him.

"My question is why send Blaze to a place that doesn't really need him." Blaze snorted with a smirk on his face in that 'your-so-stupid' kind of way.

"Yeah it was storage, for both equipment and weapons. More subjects where there, more obedient subjects that went to _ABAS_." Blaze answered and Rose popped in. "Abas? What the heck is abas?" "Not abas, _ABAS_." Rose blinked still not getting it. Blaze rubbed the bridge of his nose with an irritated sigh, "Academy of Bio-weapons and Assassin Schooling, they were teaching mass groups of both human _children_ and subjects how to kill unemotionally. They teach them how to do it quietly, how to do effectively on both low and mass scales. Mass scales as in a whole state or even all of Hawaii." Blaze answered. "Who designed the program? Why did they design the program?" Max questioned getting annoyingly snoopy.

She had pushed Angel behind her and Fang, still narrowing her eyes at Blaze. Blaze became annoyingly _silent_. He didn't like pressing questions, and if Max did the same thing Artemis did there was no Whitecoat to stop Blaze. "Don't you dare repeat history." I muttered under my breath making Max look at me suspiciously. _Don't press Ride, you'll get yourself hurt._ I thought then opened my mind enough for Angel to pick that up. _If_ she picked that up. Almost out of character Max sat down, I caught Angel's eye who nodded.

I almost smirked, _nice going kid_. As if someone was knocking to the door of my mind I opened up just a little hearing _your welcome_ whisper in through the crack before I closed up. Angel beamed at me at our new found understanding, as long as she knocked I'd let her in if I felt like it.

"You're getting talkative, if she asked before you wouldn't just throw that out there in their presence." I shot a little smirk over in Blaze's direction. "Ho yllaer?" he said sarcastically. All eyes blinked at Blaze like he was insane, I was the only one who understood. The Sdrawkcab language was pretty simple once you learned how to say words backwards, and I mean backwards. The word backwards rarely sounded the same as the original unless it was like, race car if you spelled it as a conjoined word. If any of you take the time you'll find out what Sdrawkcab is. Blaze liked to speak it either with a German or French accent for no reason, he sounded like da very annoying man ter Botch vho vould talk like dis. It could get on your nerves or just make you wet your pants when you copied him. "Alright let's just forget about this and have dinner." Jared said.

When we actually got seated around the room I noticed that Hunter was missing while we did introductions of everyone, apparently he had been having memory lapses and Neo sent him home. Blaze, Fang, Max and Angel did not eat until we had a little of their food, Blaze still was hesitant as the three Rides dove in waiting for someone to knee over. It would have been disastrous if Bronze decided to pretend to die, thankful he got the message when I shot him a very hateful look when I saw the outcome of what he was about to do. By that time Ethan's you-must-be-calm had worn off so I felt –somewhat– in control of my emotions. "Eat it Blaze, that thing has less chance of killing you than Tale." I said to him. It was true, after we found out that Tale had witch ancestors we also found out that Tale could very well turn us all into toads when she wants too. She turned Bronze into a mouse without meaning it scaring the shit out of the rat-phobic Rose. She also had a very pesky rake that would push you around to be ridden until Bronze or any of the other males wanted to ride it, that rake had problems. "Tale your rake is trying to get out again." Neo said glancing up the stairs arms folded over his chest. I heard the banging too; it had probably been the week before the Rides came that Tale last rode that rake. So being the brat it was it wanted out of Tale's closet upstairs. Blaze raised an eyebrow ripping some meat off his drumstick. "Rake?" Angel said looking up the stairs. Tale smiled and nodded giving a whistle. I pushed Blaze's head down into his food, ducking myself as the rake whizzed over our heads screeching to a halt in front of Tale. The back end of the rake swayed back and forth like a dog's tail, the handle bobbing up and down. "Jared can I ride it, please?" Tale whined.

"As long as you don't knock anything over you can ride it in the house. The instant someone hurts themselves or it pushes something over your going outside." Jared said. "Um Shadows, I don't think Blaze can breathe." Tranq said. I was holding the back of Blaze's head down, his shouted curses muffled by the food. I let go of his head and he jack-knifed into a sitting position, whipping food off his face glaring in my direction. "What the f–!" "Before you swear it was so that rake didn't whack you in the head. You'd be dead if you broke that rake." I said hoping I didn't sound like a Dr. Seuss book. Blaze gave his face one last wipe cleaning off the rest of the food. Tale threw one leg over the rake handle and shoot off almost whacking Blaze in the head. He growled angrily making the rake kick up on the speed gear, Angel ran after Tale with Max shouting after Angel to be careful.

"It's so crazy around here now." Neo muttered. Jared was still smiling, more of the child of the house than the owner. "This is kind of like a Halloween party I went to in Idaho. Minus the costumes." He said. "What's that smell?" Blaze asked. Man his nose was better than mine; I sniffed instantly not liking it. "Who invited them!?" I snapped. "I start making more food." Neo offered going into the kitchen.

"I did." Max said. "Who died and made you the owner of the house Ride?" I rumbled making Blaze reach for his sword. I tapped him roughly on the hand to tell him to let it go. "I let her invite them over Shadows. Come on it's the most we can do." Jared said. "We did the most when we let them into this house. The instant Neo saved her we reached out _limit_." I snarled deeply. All childness aside Jared looked me in the eyes with that scary way of his that looks like he instantly went from being a saint to Satan. "Shadows you still need to learn how to understand what people go through when their in pain and danger." Jared said darkly. Blaze shoot to his feet, I grabbed his arm tightly to stop him pulling Blaze back into his seat. "_Both_ of you need to learn to control your anger." Jared said looking at both of us equally guessing that Blaze acted like me. That almost made me explode. Control my anger! I controlled it all the time, if I didn't I would do more than just warp. Blaze glared back at Jared, Ethan opened his mouth when Bronze spoke up. "Is it just me or do I hear Michael Jackson?" It was _the_most random thing to say but he was right, we all strained out ears and heard MJ's voice floating in from outside, singing They Don't Care About Us without a single note of music or beat, it was like Michael Jackson had risen from the grave to sing to us. The unlocked door opened, Gazzy strutted in singing in Michael's voice making Jared's, Ethan's, Tranq's, Bronze's and Rose's mouths dropped. Beside me Blaze blinked, I mirrored his own impassive blinking face. Oh crap, another mimicker. When Gazzy had finished the song my family clapped Gazzy bowed as Tale ran up to him making screaming crowd sound effects. Nudge came in after him jumping up and down at the sight of Angel on the floating rake as Tale pulled Gazzy over for him to see. Iggy was behind Nudge, followed by the black haired girl and the woman we were introduced to as Dr. Martinez. "That name sounds familiar, do you have anything?" Blaze muttered in my ear. "I have to see her face without my glasses on. But yeah the name sounds familiar." I answered back. Blaze suggested taking my glasses off, I spun quickly in my seat our noses almost touching hoping he could see my eyes flaming from over my glasses. Blaze instantly backed off knowing not to mess with me when I gave him that look. "Who let him listen to Michael Jackson?" Fang asked. "Guilty as charged." Iggy said raising his hand. Neo got the people that just walked in the door some food and they sat down around the crowed living room.

"Who's that? There's an extra person here." Iggy said looking directly at Blaze. "I know you're looking at me, who are you? Unless he's deaf? Is he?" Blaze raised his eyebrows at me looking like he was going snort. "Interesting set of friends you have." He said. "Friends?" I said at the same time as Max making Blaze flinch. "Wow that is the exact same reaction you gave me when I talked to you about... You-Know-Who." Blaze said still stiff as if it had been a day since he had a sword ploughing through his stomach. It was, I had growled at him when he said Artemis was my friend. She wasn't and neither was Max. Angel, one the ground letting her brother have a turn to zoom around the house on the rake, explained what had happened.

"Where's Total and Akila?" Max asked after awhile. "They're back at the house with Jeb." Dr. Martinez. Blaze, Tranq and I frozen, if possible Blaze stiffened even more. "J-jeb?" Tranq stuttered his eyes meeting mine. Jeb had hurt him in the Organization, every time I heard the man's name I would freeze, I don't know what Jeb had done to Blaze but it wasn't good from the way Blaze sat in his seat like a tense statue. "You know Jeb?" Angel asked. Anger ripped through my whole body, I sealed it off before I lost control my head bowing far enough that no one could see my face. Jeb... had been living... in Branklin...? Dark shadows fell over Blaze's face; he seemed to have picked up on Jared's scary ability.

"Where is he?" Blaze rumbled deeply turning his deadly gaze to Max. I put a firm grip on Zephyr trying my best not to pull the trigger. No, stop. I had promised myself the only ones that would die were Copies not Whitecoats. Blaze shot of the couch to the door, going to track their scents back to the house. "Blaze!" I roared throwing myself at him. Suddenly I fell over, hitting the ground with enough force to knock out my breath. "Shadows!" Tranq yelled but rushed past me. I looked over my shoulder seeing Tranq run up to my body. _Oh, shit_ I thought.

'_Shadows you clumsy idiot! Get out of my body damnit!' _Blaze howled making my head hurt. I had thrown myself into Blaze's body, whoops. Tranq turned his angered face to me roaring angrily what I had done. Though I was in Blaze's body, so he was shouting at Blaze not me per say. _'Get out _now_!'_ Blaze bellowed I rubbed a temple. "Calm down." I said finding I was telling it to both of them, Blaze's voice coming from my mouth instead of my own. Damn this always got confusing but what the hell. _'No not what the hell! Get out of my body NOW!'_ Blaze yelled. **GET OUT NOW! OR I'LL KILL YOU. I DON'T CARE IF YOUR NOT BREATHING I'LL STILL KILL YOU!! **My breath caught in my chest, for a second my heart stopped. Oh my god, it was worse than I thought. Blaze was turning inside out, his other personality taking control. Or should I say animalalilty? Out of my control Blaze sat up holding his head. "Get out of my body." He growled lowly so anyone could only hear growling. I pushed to the surface, pushing him back. "Blaze how could you let this happen?" I asked. "I said get out of my body." Blaze growled gripping his head harder. "She's not breathing." Iggy said Tranq whirled towards my body.

_Blaze stop fighting me_ I ordered making him growl again. "I'll stop fighting if you get out of my body." Blaze growled again. _You idiot I can't get out unless you stop fighting _I almost shrieked. "Jared!" Tranq said in a panicked tone. "She's fine." I said struggling to regain control. "Don't worry she's fine." "What did you do to Shadows!?" Tranq yelled. "I didn't do anything." Blaze said. "_I_ did." I said pushing him away from the surface. _'This is my body not yours, get out!' _Blaze howled in anger.

Please Tranq understand what I'm trying to say. Tranq stared at me than to my body. His shoulders relaxed, he breathed a sigh of relief waving at Jared to back away. I relaxed backing away so Blaze had full control feeling like I was trapped. Blaze was still gripping his head, swearing under his breath. _Swearing's not going to do nothin'_ I told Blaze. "Get out of my body then." He snarled. _I can't, Blaze you have to stop fighting against my control. That's why I can't leave, since your fighting for control it's just pushing me inward not outward. Once you give in I'll be able to leave _I explained more clearly. But it was hard for Blaze to give in, it wasn't his nature. Giving in meant making himself vulnerable and I knew Blaze didn't like being open. Tranq knew I could detach my soul from my body, he knew I could control people like that too but he had never actually seen me when I had taken over someone's body. Blaze let go of his head taking a deep breath, "Will that get you out?" he asked. I had 'taken over' Blaze's body before but I had to wait for him to go to sleep when he relaxed enough for me to take control. It was difficult to really take over Blaze, since he was trying to control his other self, the animal in him. So add me into the equation now he was having a hell of a time to control me and himself. I got enough control to nod stiffly. Suddenly, just as Blaze let his guards down and I threw myself for my own body like a downer on a life preserver Hunter threw the front door open.

"Shadows they're here. The Erasers, they've found us. There's a hundreds of them coming from the mountains by the Pack." Hunter cried.

_Shit._

* * *

_Skin head, dead head  
Everybody gone bad  
Situation, aggravation  
Everybody allegation  
In the suite, on the news  
Everybody dog food  
Bang bang, shot dead  
_

All I wanna say is that  
They don't really care about us  
All I wanna say is that  
They don't really care about us

Beat me, hate me  
You can never break me  
Will me, thrill me  
You can never kill me  
Jew me, sue me  
Everybody do me  
Kick me, kike me  
Don't you black or white me

All I wanna say is that  
They don't really care about us  
All I wanna say is that  
They don't really care about us

Tell me what has become of my life  
I have a wife and two children who love me  
I am the victim of police brutality, now  
I'm tired of bein' the victim of hate  
You're rapin' me of my pride  
Oh, for God's sake  
I look to heaven to fulfill its prophecy...  
Set me free

Skin head, dead head  
Everybody gone bad  
trepidation, speculation  
Everybody allegation  
In the suite, on the news  
Everybody dog food  
black man, black male  
Throw your brother in jail

All I wanna say is that  
They don't really care about us  
All I wanna say is that  
They don't really care about us

Tell me what has become of my rights  
Am I invisible because you ignore me?  
Your proclamation promised me free liberty, now  
I'm tired of bein' the victim of shame  
They're throwing me in a class with a bad name  
I can't believe this is the land from which I came  
You know I do really hate to say it  
The government don't wanna see  
But if Roosevelt was livin'  
He wouldn't let this be, no, no

Skin head, dead head  
Everybody gone bad  
Situation, speculation  
Everybody litigation  
Beat me, bash me  
You can never trash me  
Hit me, kick me  
You can never get me

All I wanna say is that  
They don't really care about us  
All I wanna say is that  
They don't really care about us

Some things in life they just don't wanna see  
But if Martin Luther was livin'  
He wouldn't let this be

Skin head, dead head  
Everybody gone bad  
Situation, segregation  
Everybody allegation  
In the suite, on the news  
Everybody dog food  
Kick me, strike me  
Don't you wrong or right me

All I wanna say is that  
They don't really care about us  
All I wanna say is that  
They don't really care about us

All I wanna say is that  
They don't really care about us  
All I wanna say is that  
They don't really care about  
All I wanna say is that  
They don't really care about  
All I wanna say is that  
They don't really care about us

_**They Don't Care About Us  
Michael Jackson**_

_In my mind I'm happy I haven't heard all the stuff they've said about Michael Jackson, he was a fabulous singer and I don't understand why people would spread rumours about him. My dad told me he listened to Michael all the time until he started bleaching his skin white, but why the hell just stop listening to someone because they're changing their appearance? I'd rather listen to someone who can sing instead of someone who looks like a Barbie doll who has a voice of cat nails on a chalkboard, I don't care what people look like, just what their music sounds like. MJ has the best music ever and I'm upset that I haven't learned anything about him until he passed away it's almost disgusting. But the thing is that really gets on my nerves, you talk to people about Michael Jackson and the go off into a series of 'he did this, he did that', have you ever met him? Has he told you he's done this? I don't think so. I saw This Is It and I've seen quite a few videos of him and my grandparents explained him more to me. He seemed like a nice person, someone I wished I met. Someone who was treated unfairly, just like me. If you go to my school (heaven forbid you did) everyone says I'm the weirdest, that I talk too much, that I'll laugh loudly at things that aren't funny and I'm weird since I sing to my MP3 player. What do you think people will be saying about me when I publish a really good book, hmm? Are they going to stop reading my books if I change my looks? I know most of you are probably skipping over this saying, "why the hell is she going on like this?" well because I want to get it out of my system. I hope you people understand what I'm trying to say but don't you dare sending me reviews with bad stuff about Michael cuz god knows what I'll be sending you back. Anywho I'm going off to annoy the shit out of my parents with this wonderful speech, see ya later_

_**~Akiko~**_


	23. Take Three

**Assassination of Memories  
Chapter XXI – Take Three**

_Ack I just notice the ages for the flock and crap are __**wrong**__!_

Wolf: What is she going on about now?

Logan: She found that it's really been about two years since Serenity's death not one

_I'm so sorry Pyro!_

White Wing: What are you saying sorry to him for?

_Now Shadows is older than Blaze, since she's supposed to be 16 __***bawls my eyes out***_

Logan: Argh get an umbrella! ***huge raindrops fall from the sky***

Neofreak: Ack I'm all wet!

Wolf: Let's just tell the people the ages and get on with it!

Fang, Max, Iggy, Shadows: 16  
Nudge: 13  
Gazzy: 10  
Tranq: 10  
Angel: 8

**Max's POV**

"How did they find us!?" Tranq cried jumping to his feet his fear obvious in his eyes. "More pointedly _when _did they find us? Who knows how long the Organization's been around here." Neo said stiffly. He seemed generally fine despite the weird guy burning kid. This guy, Blaze, he had eau de Eraser all over him. I didn't understand it; he looked human enough like Owen though the air around Blaze just felt more animalistic. Maybe he was an Eraser, who knew?

"Hunter," Shadows stood up staggering slightly, "How many are there, I want the closest number you think you saw." The new boy, Hunter, swallowed taking a deep breath. "More than two hundred but less than three hundred. I've never seen so many in one place, not even the mess hall had that many Erasers in it." He answered. "Must be Second Branch, there's more Copies there than anything else." Blaze said picking himself off the floor. Copies? Why did he call Erasers Copies? "Shadows definitely rubbed off on you." I heard Neo muttered. Why would Shadows' call them Copies? Copies of what?

"Who's leading them?" Blaze questioned, Hunter flinched. "It's like walking down memory lane right?" Shadows said. "Um well this, little girl is leading them. She's probably around... four?" Most of the eyes in the room widened, the exception was Fang, Shadows and Blaze who where just blinking.

"Have you gone blind mutt? That's impossible!" Neo snapped. "I swear she's around four or five. The Director's with her too." Hunter whispered the last bit looking over to Shadows. "Well looks like they need a whole Copy army to bring you to the Organization Shadows." Blaze said rolling his eyes. "How do you know they're here for Shadows? They could be here for anyone else." Nudge said. Blaze smirked, "Nah I know it's for Shadows, Father has a huge crush on her." Shadows head whipped in Blaze's direction, her eyes ablaze behind her glasses. "What?" her voice had both fire and ice at the same time. "Doesn't surprise me, first they have a lesbian psychopath as an assassin now a Pedophile for a Director. Man the Organization is just built upon sick love relations isn't it?" Iggy said.

"What about the Pack, Hunter? Are they okay?" Tranq pressed, Hunter shrugged, his shoulders sagging. "I don't know Cain told me to come here, as Alpha he ordered me to." I was still trying to follow this. "So we're just going to let them get us?" the Gasman said, hovering on the rake above our heads. "If they get any closer the whole town will be endangered." Jared pointed out. "I'm going to finish this once and for all. Father's dying _today_." Shadows growled.

"You can't do that he's too strong!"

Heads turned to the direction of Dobry, the boy seemed so insignificant I had all forgotten about him. He had covered his mouth, having said something he shouldn't. Shadows' eyes flashed, she moved so quickly it almost looked like Dobry had just slammed into the wall by himself. "You little brat." Shadows snarled. "Shadows what are you doing!?" Jared cried grasping Shadows' collar. "That little traitor told them where we were! How else would he know about Father? This is the most I've talked about him!" Shadows shot back.

"I had to they have my sister!" Dobry sobbed.

Everything was happening in a whirlwind, a blur rushing past my eyes. Telling Mom and Ella to go somewhere but home seemed to fly by, how one thing led to another and the Flock and I were going to fight alongside Shadows. It was a couple miles off, Shadows, Blaze, Neo and Hunter taking the lead in a run with no sweat. If only we could fly there but I wasn't taking my chances with Shadows just yet. We just learned something else; this Hunter kid was a _werewolf_. A large amber one at that, large enough to carry Angel though I refused that with a short growl. I was holding Iggy's hand, pulling him along with us.

"Max I saw something." Iggy said quietly. Fang was a head of us keeping close to Angel, Nudge and Gazzy. "What do you mean?" I asked. Was he getting his sight back?

"When Shadows was suddenly not breathing, just before that I saw something white flash across my eyes, it looked like a person." Iggy said his voice cracking in places. I instantly knew why, Iggy could 'see' Serenity somehow at times though it was more of a completely white figure in a black abyss for him than anything else. Could Serenity have run past him? Was she still alive? Was she going to suddenly swoop down from the sky like an angel brought back to life? _'Only time will tell Max.'_ The Voice said and I groaned. _Great you again, what do you want?_ I growled. _'I told you Max, beware of the wolf. The wolf of snow will bring pain to one of the Flock members and you.'_ The Voice advised. _What? That made no sense_ I thought afterwards getting no answer like usual. Terrific, more fortune cookie advice. "Voice again?" Iggy asked making me sigh. "Yeah, beware the wolf of snow, blah, blah, blah." I muttered.

"Shadows those guys can't keep running. The mutt says its three more miles." Neo said, I quickly closed the gap between me, Iggy and everyone else so I was an active part of whatever was going on. Had we already run a mile, two maybe? "That's right Max two miles already. Your doin' pretty good so far." Neo said over his shoulder. I put my block up but Neo still answered the second question I had thought. "Yes I'm a telepath but I'm closer to a hundred than eight." Neo said.

"He's a guppy geezer." Shadows added. "Excuse me!?" Neo growled. The wolf Hunter smiled, looking like Total yet a lot fiercer with the huge canines in his mouth. "Before you say anything to Neo I know they've moved three miles." Shadows said slowly down.

They were close to the house, would Mom and Ella be able to go somewhere in time? We slowed to a stop, crouching down in some bushes. It looked like the field stretched out forever without focusing on it, the trees a little green line in the distance. "You okay?" Blaze asked Shadows her eyes staring out over the field, her whole body tense. "I've been here before." She said quietly though she sounded not too sure of herself. "No you haven't your smell isn't anywhere around here." Neo hissed checking the field. "Where are the Erasers?" Angel asked quietly. "I don't know sweetie, their coming." I told her. "I have been here before, I was standing here when a bunch of wolves ran out from there," Shadows pointed to the far end of the field maybe a hundred feet away. "I started to run and they caught up to me beating the living shit out of me." Shadows hissed.

"Ah no need to break this up," Hunter said now a human, "but we've got company." He nodded to the forest across from us. Erasers came into view, creating a front line far away. Hunter had been right; I have never seen so many Erasers in one place. I also got the face of the girl Hunter told us about.

My whole body tensed, the last time I had seen her she was strapped to a metal table and Dr. Millstone had stuck a huge needle into her neck. "Max?" Fang looked at me I waved him off. Impossible, she was fighting against Dr. Millstone yet leading a whole Eraser army? Her face was just as impassive as Shadows' or Fang's, her eyes set determinately ahead. "Hey she reminds me of you, maybe she's your little sister." Blaze joked nudging Shadows with his elbow. Shadows decided then to cock her gun, narrowing her eyes at Blaze.

"I say we send Blaze out there." Hunter said. "H'm good idea, they'll be scared shitless." Shadows said. "What?" "It's been fifteen months since they've seen you. They probably think your dead." Shadows elaborated. "It's been more or less a day since I've seen you!" Blaze objected. "Idiot Holden can travel through time, it's really been months not a day." Neo shot at Blaze. Blaze pressed his lips together becoming silent; Shadows motioned for him to go when the Erasers were a little closer. "Tranq you go secondly when I give you the signal." Shadows ordered, Tranq nodded. Blaze strutted out there in a matter of minutes, the first Erasers shot towards him, he turned to them calmly, any of his facial features lost as Blaze turned his back to us. They were right on him when he snapped out a pair of dark red dragon like wings. The Erasers yelped jumping back looking terrified. I wondered if Blaze was giving them the same look Fang gave those guys in the beaten down house so long ago, when he looked like an angel of death. Blaze leapt into the air taking flight, coming down on the Erasers in a flash of swords. Shadows gave a brisk nod, Tranq shot from the place he was sitting, flying a few feet above the ground towards the startled looking Erasers. He didn't even have wings, flying like Peter Pan or something. When he was right above them he changed into something you might see sitting on the top of the Notre Dame coming down screaming making the Erasers scatter. "Hunter." Shadows didn't need to say anymore, Hunter morphed shooting into battle. Teeth, blades and fears, the Erasers seemed to be losing. It was when a gunshot split the air, three Erasers falling to the ground dead. Everyone seemed to stop, eyes on Shadows who rushed from the cover of the trees flinging herself at the closest Eraser.

I followed, the Flock at my heels, Neo shot past me in a blur, pouncing on the closest Eraser. The Eraser screamed, scratching at the boy at his neck. Oh god this was crazy. A roundhouse kick to the nearest Eraser broke his ribs, another kick to the head and he was down for the count. The Erasers weren't suspecting this, so many fighting against them. "Fire in the hole!" Iggy yelled pushing and Eraser back into another on coming group. The Eraser he pushed exploded bringing down the eight that were coming at the same time.

"**ARI!"** Shadows screamed launching at Fang.

But Fang was at my side, she was launching at one dressed in a black combat suit. That was Ari? He looked so much like Fang I understood how Shadows, and Blaze for that matter, thought Fang was Ari. He evaded her attack, spinning around smashing the back of his arm against Shadows' head. Blaze came at Ari in a burst of knives. Ari dodged him too, almost sticking on of Blaze's own knives into Blaze's chest. I caught a glimpse at the person I presumed was the Director, a man in a wheel chair watching Shadows with admiring and saddened eyes. Nudge screamed, an Eraser taking her by the arms. I ran up clapping my hands over his ears. He screamed going down, suddenly Neo was there ripping at his neck. "Damn your blood tastes horrible." He grumbled darting towards another Eraser. "U and A now!" I yelled. We had to do it; the Flock was outnumbered on the ground.

Fang shot into the air first, Ari growled at him trying to grab onto Fang. "You sick monster I can't let you live." Ari snarled. It didn't even sound like Ari, is sounded like Fang. Fang was holding his arm close to his side; it was bleeding with large bite marks underneath his torn shirt sleeve. "How did that happen?" I said. "A white wolf appeared and bit me, no big deal." Fang said calmly. Beware the wolf of snow... Blaze swooped down grabbing Angel, throwing her into the air to give her a faster takeoff. Angel beamed down to Blaze, who gave her a nod, tucked in his wings dropping on top of an Eraser before throwing Gazzy into the air. From the air we had advantages, being able to swoop down and kicking an Eraser in the head or chest before soaring back to the sky.

"Pull back there's too many of them!" Neo cried jumping away from an Eraser.

* * *

**Third POV**

Blaze pulled back into the sky, followed by Tranq. Shadows turned on her heel, racing off with Erasers on her tail. It seemed familiar, behind her she was being chased by wolf-men, her bare feet slapping against every little rock sending stings of pain shooting up her leg. Above her the Flock looked like large birds, wheeling around in the sky, fleeing along with Blaze and Tranq. Hunter and Neo were in front of Shadows, running towards the mountains. Shadows checked the sky for a clear takeoff, a pang she couldn't describe hit her sending Shadows to the ground.

The Erasers caught up, pulling her hair, kicking her before Blaze intervened taking them out. The girl that was leading the Erasers ran up, her right arm a blade aimed for Blaze. "BLAZE!" Shadows shrieked, lunging for him. Blade sliced through flesh, once again in the stomach.

Blood spurted from Shadows' mouth as the girl moved back taking the sword from Shadows' stomach, Shadows collapsed onto her back. "88697-O2!" Father screamed in outrage. Blaze dropped next to Shadows, his eyes on the wound in her stomach.

Shadows saw his eyes glisten, then fill with rage as he shot for 88697-O2. Fang slammed into the ground, his black wings being sandwiched between him and the ground. Iggy shot down to help, being overpowered by Erasers. "Fang!" Max screamed shooting down for him, not able to make it as the earth rumbled. Flare blasted out from one of the mountains grasped Max in his claw, clamping Blaze in his teeth before going back to the sky. The werewolves followed him; wolf Cain grabbed the human Hunter before the boy could go back. The remaining Flock members followed Max, unsure of what to do. Shadows' eyes closed, her head fell back as she blacked out 88697-O2 standing over her.

"Damn lizard let me go!" Blaze roared stabbing at the dragon's snout. It didn't do anything, Flare's scales stopped Blaze's knife from even leaving a scratch. Flare landed eight miles away in a dense forest when he found a place large enough for him to land, letting go of both Blaze and Max. Blaze seemed to be unharmed though yelled at the dragon for Blaze now couldn't fly with a rip in his wing. It wasn't bleeding; he looked fine enough though the rip wouldn't allow him to fly.

Giles brought Tranq, placing him on the ground putting a paw on the ten-year-old's leg. Max tried to fly back for Fang, Flare smacked her into the ground with his tail. "You stupid leech you should have gotten Shadows!" Hunter shouted clenching his hands into fists. "You think I'm that stupid, if I stayed any longer the vampire Director of the Organization would have killed me!" Neo shot back.

"The Director's a vampire too?" Angel said hugging Max tightly. Max looked at her broken Flock feeling like she had more responsibly at being the only older kid there now that Fang and Iggy were gone. The rest of the werewolves morphed back, apologizing for what happened. Will and Katrina instantly went off back towards the house to make sure everyone there was okay. "Shadows isn't going to die Tranq they just wanted her back. The Director's convinced that she's under my influence. He thinks taking her away will make her join back up with the Organization." Neo said crossing his arms over his chest leaning against a tree. "If Father's a vampire, doesn't that mean he'll be in charge of the Organization forever? I mean like, he could do anything he wanted to do and he wouldn't die is what I'm saying." Nudge said looking worried. "Dobry must have known that the Director was a vampire, Shadows somehow didn't." Neo said. "Of course she didn't," Blaze said staring at the sky. He had placed himself in a tree, staring at the darkening sky above them. "She was too loyal, too convinced that Father was the greatest." he grumbled.

"What's going to happen to Fang and Iggy?" Max asked him bracing herself for no response. The pause seemed to last a life time before Blaze answered. "If Shadows convinces Father that they are worth something they might have a chance. I don't know how Father thinks, Shadows does."

Ages later, Will and Katrina came back with Jared and Ethan. The atmosphere was sickening; Tranq and Angel started to cry. "There's no sign of Fang, Iggy or Shadows. We went back to the field on our way out." Will said rubbing Tranq's shaking shoulder. "Nothing?" Max said. "There was a large red stain at the outer side of the field." Katrina said with difficulty. "Iggy's blood spilled on the ground." Neo said through clenched teeth reading both of the werewolves' minds. The younger kids cried and all Max could do was huddle them up in a hug for support. Time was passing too slowly; Max was feeling sicker and sicker with each long lasting second. It was then when everyone started to fall asleep, as Max settled in for guard duty she noticed Blaze was gone from his perch in the tree. "He left," Neo told her, "He knows that sitting around won't do anything to make the situation better. He also knows that the Organization has probably already changed locations. Blaze is taking his own path now, though he's not going to look for the Organization just yet."

"What's he looking for?" Max inquired. "That he wouldn't tell me, he wasn't thinking of it so I don't know what he is looking for. An assassin run out by the people he worked for, who knows what Blaze is going to do." Neo muttered closing his eyes.

* * *

How'd you like it? Wanna tell me, just click the little button underneath here, isn't that hard just a click and a few words.  
**Please do it I beg you, I fear I have lost you all!!**


	24. Whaddya Do?

**Assassination of Memories  
Chapter XXII – Whaddya Do When You Know Someone's Gonna Die?**

**Shadows' POV**

"Is she waking up yet?" Fang's voice floated in my ears. No not Fang, the body the voice came from had no scent of the Blood Stone; Fang was hovering on the wall across from the bed I was lying on.

"No. Father was right, you're impatient Ari." The voice of a little girl said attached to the body of 88697-O2. The little girl I had seen after the car accident, when I saw the effect of Angel being taken away from her family.

I felt like crap, being in the place I had run away from so long ago didn't help with that. Damn I had gotten sliced in the stomach just like Blaze. Oh the irony! The smell of anaesthetic and rotting bodies assaulted my nose; I tried not to lose the contents of my stomach. No this was worse than First Branch Organization so it must be Second Branch. What happened to Iggy? The last thing I remembered was him being taken down by the Copies. Everything past that moment was a confusion of smells, colours and sounds. Mainly was everyone else here? _Calm down_ I told myself. _You're working yourself up._ _'You have a right to worry; Tranq wouldn't be able to survive in the Organization again.'_ The little voice said. _What do you want?_ I thought sourly. _'Find out if the others are here, they might need your help.'_ The little voice instructed. Is that so? My eyes blinked slowly open just as Ari started to speak. "I don't understand why Father would let that monster live. It isn't worth the Blood Stone since its tainted now." Ari was standing near the end of my bed, glancing over his shoulder to Fang. Fang was chained to the wall, thick steel chains wrapped around each leg, his waist, torso, his neck and his arms. Fang looked like he was hanging from his outspread arms, being pulled to the ground by the chains around his legs. Something flashed before my eyes, a boy with wings chained in the air a foot above my head, giving me a weak smile filled with sharp teeth. Fang's usually blank face looked pained, his chin resting in his chest.

"Tainted?" 88697-O2 repeated, sitting on a chair next to my bed. We were in a grimy cell with a singled tiny window with bars near the roof suggesting we were partially underground. There was a brown collapsible table pushed up against Fang's wall, a bunch of junk from my closest littered the surface.

They went to the house!? Jared, Ethan... what happened to everybody?

Ari didn't answer his eyes flicking to my face. He began to leave when 88697-O2 stepped into his path. She was a tiny girl, appearing smaller than her age with chestnut brown hair that swept down just below her shoulders in gentle curls framing her long tanned face. Her eyes fiercely glared at Ari, lighter amber than Hunter's fur. I looked between the two as they exchanged a silent conversation though looks, Ari stepped around 88697-O2 slamming the steel door behind him. She seemed so small and insignificant that it seemed impossible Ari would even stop when she got in his way. With a sigh 88697-O2 gazed over to Fang, a slightly sadden expression crossing her face. "How could he be a monster? He's not as horrible as Father." She muttered under her breath. Wait she said Father and horrible in the same sentence, why...

I was getting sick and tired of calling her by her number; I just hated the long string of numbers that made up the identity. And frankly I didn't want to call her O2 for short either. She looked small and fragile, like what people though fairies looked like. I decided to name her Fey seeing I had read many books that called the creatures that included the fairies Fey, it just seemed to fit.

She looked towards me watching me with an expression that said "you'll reopen your wounds" as I sat up. "How long have I been out?" was my first question. "Two days. All three of you." Fey answered. Damn she was just as bad as me or Ari; didn't exactly talk in full sentences there. So they had gotten Iggy too. Okay so it was just me, Fang and Iggy here, I didn't have enough information to work on and I currently didn't know of Iggy's present condition. Until I could investigate further I couldn't get us out of Second Branch. "Where are we?" I asked looking Fey in the eye. She hesitated, "Second Branch... Albert mountain range." Fey sounded like a computer almost though just by the she talked, her voice sounded human enough to make me believe she wasn't a machine. However my nose was giving me doubts, this girl smelled like a machine, no a machine with blood. To put it nicely it was weird, I knew very well I wasn't going to mix up her smell with anyone's. Then I saw a book tucked under the large coat that framed Fey's fragile build. A large book.

CL's book.

Fey stood up moving the chair placing it so it faced the table lined with my junk, getting down to reading. I sat there listening to her breathing, listening to the whispers from pages of the book turning gently. Fang's own heart pounded in my ears, a little faster than I was use to. It was also stronger. Like a predator's. Part of Fang's shirt was ripped blood covering his arm yet there was no wound, I just knew there should be a wound. I probably sat there for a couple hours, silent like a shadow, when I finally figured it out. It was when reality slapped me hard in the face. I didn't fight the feeling of guilty, feeling sorry for Fang and what had happened to him. I pulled my knees to my chest wrapping my arms around my legs letting my head drop into my knees. Fey looked over to me from CL's book. "What's wrong?" she asked. I didn't answer instead I wanted someone dearly to talk to.

_Hey are you there little voice?_ I thought. _What should I do? What should I do for Fang?_ I waited bracing myself for silence. I could almost see a soft smile as it answered back. '_Do what you can, show him the rights and wrongs. Comfort him when he's in pain.'_ The little voice told me. "I can't do that." I muttered to myself.

'_Just do what feels right Shadows; Fang's going to need you.'_ _And another thing, who are you?_ I asked. _'You know who I am Shadows, but you make it seem like I hate you and I don't.' _The little voice answered. "Where's Iggy?" I asked Fey this time. Fey sighed in relief making me raise an eyebrow. "I'm glad you asked. I was getting tired of pretending there Panther Shadows." Fey smiled now sounding more human than computer. The door opened and a boy walked in looking displeased. "Why do I have to watch it?" he growled. "Just do it Logan, and don't use _him_ for a target or I'll put a hole in you." Fey said tucking the book under her jacket again. The boy reeked of Copy, his fur coloured hair falling into his bright green eyes. Logan had a rifle propped on his shoulder; he rolled his eyes as we passed. "You watch over him. Make sure no one touches him." Fey ordered. "Why do I have to watch over it why can't Wolf–" "Him, Logan, _him_. He's not an animal. And Wolf ran away remember?" Fey said sounding a little irritated opening the door to the cell. We went down the hallway that looked as disgusting as the cell, quite a couple of swing double doors along the hallway. I got a quick look of what was behind one of those doors when a geeky looking Whitecoat came out with a vile of blue liquid that smelled like blood. Behind that set of doors was a long room filled with cages stacked to the ceiling. Blaze would have loved it here, the smell and sense of fear and horror was all around the place making the air thick. Fey led me through another hallway and stopped at a single door with a bored Copy standing guard. He looked around eighteen though I knew very well he was probably around one or two. "Call when she wants out." Fey said turning on her heel going back to my cell sounding like a machine again. Or at least that's where I thought she was going.

"Man don't know what you want with it. I imagine the thing will soon." The Copy grumbled unlocking the door and pushed it open. I entered, freezing just inside the room. The stench of blood almost made me hurl, the Copy closed the door closing me into the room with no fresh air. There was no window in here, making the air very humid and thick with the stench of blood. This cell was so small that the bars that lock off the back quarter of the room seemed to actually lock off half of the room. I came stiffly up to the bars, clutching them while peering into the darkness. In a corner at least four feet away from the bars was a mass of blood, limbs and flesh. It was breathing, Iggy was still alive.

Just barely.

I could see him crimpled in the corner, cover with blood, his body twisted in unnatural angles. The thing that horrified me the most was the golden yellow-brown wings covered in blood bent in odd directions on his back. How could the Copies do that to him? I felt my chest tighten, my throat closed over a sob. My eyes filled with tears, my knees buckled underneath me and I finally lost my stomach of steel on the side wall.

Tears streamed down my face, I wiped my mouth my tears blurring Iggy's nearly lifeless figure slumped in the corner. I transformed into a cat, squeezing myself through the bars padding over to Iggy. His face was distorted with pain, his eyes shut tight. Even though he was blind Iggy kept his eyes open as if fighting his disability. He was hurting, though for once seemed to give in and just close his eyes. _And Iggy... what do I do for him?_ I thought appalled.

'_What feels right to you?' _the little voice asked.

What feels right to me? I transformed back, touching Iggy's shoulder. Iggy didn't respond, until I wrapped my arms around him trying not to hurt him. "What........ Shadows?" Iggy murmured hoarsely. "How are you?" I asked my voice shaking. "Like pudding. Pudding with nerve endings. Pudding in great pain." Ig laughed weakly. He still had a sense of humour even in this state... good lord. I let go of Iggy sitting back, he still didn't open his eyes.

I looked at his wings. His wings should have been beautiful, but those Copies had destroyed them. I slowly unfurled my own wings, comparing them to Iggy's.

The boy seemed to have drifted into unconsciousness as it took a firm shake to get Ig to respond. "What?" "Brace yourself." I told him taking hold of his wing and rearranged it to it looked like mine. Iggy arched his back and scream, it echoed in my head making me feel bad for putting him in pain. "What are you– doing?" Iggy choked. "Fixing your wings, here it comes again." I said guiltily, putting his other wing back in place. I was met with the same result; Iggy slumped down his breathing heavy and ragged with pain.

"What if you're doing it wrong?" Iggy grounded out. I shook my wings out, like usual I got at least one loose feather. I picked it up, sliding it between two of his fingers that were bent in the wrong direction. Iggy's thumb awkwardly stroked the feather, with difficulty his other hand wrapped around mine.

"You... too?" he moaned clutching my hand. "Yeah." I said quietly pulling my wings in all the way. Iggy nodded slightly his hand slipping off of mine, then he forced himself back awake. He didn't speak, I found myself feeling I should go see Fang. "I– I have to go. Just– just be okay." I said and kissed his forehead without thinking. Iggy seemed to have missed it becoming unconscious again. I went back to the Copy, the instant I stepped out of the door Fey was there waiting for me.

"It's the other boy. He's up." She said when out of earshot of the Copy leading me quickly back to the cell. "He wasn't doing well either. I cut him down and he curled into a ball. He's not responding to anything we say and looks like he's going to be sick when we bring food." Fey filled me in opening the door. Logan was there, standing near to Fang who was curled up in the corner holding his head like it was about to explode. I rushed over dropping beside Fang though didn't touch him. "Fang." I said quietly. Human ears wouldn't have picked it up, though Fang's eyes open a slit glancing over to me. Those eyes hit me with a hard slap of guilt, filled with pain, the eyes of a caged animal. I didn't want to touch him in fear that he would react wrong. I kept saying his name to him quietly, talking to him like he was a frightened animal. Fey had a glass of water on hand which I took from her. I brought it up to Fang's lips letting it drizzle into his mouth slowly. Fang curled into a tighter ball clutching his head more tightly. I knew that the sound of the water hitting his teeth was vibrating up his skull painfully but Fang needed to get some liquid into his system. He didn't swallow, just letting the water run down his throat. Fang finished when he shut his mouth suddenly, water spilling down his shirt. He turned away from me slightly cringing in pain. Fey left then with Logan closing the door as quietly as they could. Still it was a heavy steel door and Fang tightened his ball when the noise echoed through the cell. I laid down on the bed, wishing Fey had left me CL's book. Soon I drifted off to sleep, my dreams a flurry of sounds, sights and scents. Iggy was in his cell still in his pile of hurt, his eyes still closed as he whispered one single word. A name.

"Ser– enity."

I woke up to screaming that threatened to burst my eardrums. Fang screamed in pain sounding more horrible than Iggy, curling tighter and tighter into his ball. I jumped up slapping my hand over his mouth as Fey and Logan ran through the door. The wrong reaction I was worrying about happened then, Fang bit down on the top finger of my hand that was over his mouth. Blood dripped down my hand a crazed spark lighting in Fang's eyes.

Holy hell Fang had... fangs, canines. Sharp ones at that, they barely needed any pressure to split the skin in my finger. I jerked my hand away Fang's teeth creating a small gash in my finger. He was stiff, all his muscles locked, his eyes focused on me with many expressions.

I saw that trapped animal again, the crazed spark, confusion, and horror, even a glint like I was a juice piece of meat. He sat there crouched in his corner though I knew very well he wasn't completely healed, at any little sound pain would flash across his face. He had no idea what was happening to him, the look in his eyes told me he thought I had the answer. I did, but we were going to have to lay down the rules.

"Fang." I said quietly, he reacted like a dog hearing its name. I continued in the same quiet gentle tone. "I know that you're probably confused, but whatever happens you have to fight the urge to lash out when someone touches you. If you scream you are _only_ going to bring yourself more pain." I was thankful that he processed this given that Fang looked away a little as if he was working this out. "Fang," I paused when Fang looked back at me. He was eager to listen; he was probably going to do what I wanted him to do. "... I'm going to tell you what's happening to you but you have to be prepared for it. Dismiss everything anyone's ever told you and listen and believe what I'm telling you. Can you do that?" I asked. He wouldn't, no matter how much someone thought they were ready they weren't really. But this was my responsibility, I had to tell him. As I did Fang sat there, his face and eyes blank again, blinking when he didn't believe it. I found that he was shaking his head a little as I talked, trying to push himself back into the corner curling into a ball again. Fey and Logan stood on the sidelines watching as Fang received reality. But it was as if I was telling him he was going to die slowly and painfully. I stopped when Fang was curled in his ball again clutching his knees; all life seemed to have left his eyes. Fey stepped forward but I waved her off shaking my head. Fang needed to be alone now. He wasn't in the condition right now to have someone saying sorry. It wasn't a death sentence even though he was taking it that way. I decided then would be a good time to visit Iggy no matter what time it was. I grabbed the glass of water, transferring the water into my water bottle that was on the table as we walked to Iggy's cell. "Were you telling the truth?" Fey asked. "You think I'd do that to him? Don't tell me you didn't see his face." I shot back making Fey flinched.

If possible Iggy was doing worse, he didn't respond at all this time. I didn't want to hurt him seeing I'd have to shove at him hard to wake him up. Instead I gave him some water; he actually swallowed some of it weakly. I stayed with Iggy for a couple hours, aware that Fey was standing there the whole time watching. "We should go," she finally said, "It's almost time for lunch."

When we came back Fang still looked like all the life had been sucked out of him however the instant food was brought Fang looked like he was going to be sick. "Just some bread would be nice." I told Fey and she went off to get what I wanted. The days continued on like that, a routine that I would stay with Fang for a couple hours then go to Iggy for a couple hours, giving both of them water seeing Fang refused to even touch any food. Iggy couldn't swallow any solid food and any substance close to liquid (soup for example) I gave him came right back up again. Though Fang was getting better unlike Iggy, he moved more as the days progressed, he would say good morning to me when I woke up.

* * *

One night I couldn't sleep, watching Fang in the darkness as he thrashed around. He startled me when he bolted up right, looking terrified drenched with sweating before he lost his own stomach. I got out of bed, giving him a few mouthfuls of water and wiping his mouth.

"You okay?" I asked gingerly touching his back. I could vaguely feel his wings tucked underneath his shirt, like me he seemed to be a side or stomach sleeper. He had a trembling hand on his mouth shaking his head looking nauseated. "Tell me about it." I told him. This was the first dream Fang had that he looked so utterly horrified waking up in the middle of the night. Fang seemed hesitant before he let it spill.

"I was running through the forest, there were four people in front of me screaming. I was chasing them, they kept screaming why I was doing this. When I got closer I saw it was Max, Gazzy, Nudge and Angel. I caught up to them and I– I– I killed them. Then I..." Fang couldn't continue, closing his eyes and shaking underneath my hand. I rubbed his shoulder taking a deep breath.

"I'm sorry to say that's normal Kiba. It's just a nightmare, you didn't really do it." I told him. "But I enjoyed it." Fang spat sound completely revolted with himself.

"I know." I said softly still rubbing his shoulder. "Don't stay awake though, it will be more vivid the longer you stay awake. Try thinking of an alternate end for that nightmare Kiba and replay it in your head a couple times. After do that for a while the dream should change." I advised him getting up to go back to bed. Fang grabbed onto my arm looking up into my eyes his hand holding so tightly he could break my arm. He looked so much like a child, so helpless, so frightened. "I might need your help." He confessed quietly. I sat down next to him and brainstormed ideas with him. In the end we figured out that everyone was going to fly off a cliff, and Fang would be stuck on the ground for some reason. Fang decided to fight the horrifying nightmare with his own fear; he wouldn't be able to fly after them because he would find himself stuck in a cage. I wasn't so sure about that but I let him do it getting back into bed. I watched him again as he sat there in silence rehearsing what he wanted to happen in his head. That took around half an hour before his eyes slid close and he sat back against the wall.

* * *

"What day is it?" I groaned. It was so difficult just before the 26th and right after, I didn't think Fang would survive it. Said boy glanced over his food. The kid had at least a month's worth of food at once, he was just finishing. "July... 3rd, 4th maybe." He answered getting back to eating. "Thanks Kiba." I said rolling my eyes as he shovelled food into his mouth. "I'm glad you're feeling better Fang." Fey smiled. He nodded his eyes meeting mine. He swallowed, "How's Ig?"

Yep he just had to bring that up. "Not good." I confessed. Fang had asked to see Iggy but I told him that wouldn't be a very good idea. He asked again right after I had answered his question. "Not yet. Your nose probably won't get over it." I said this time it was Fang's turn to roll his eyes. By now my hair had grown out of its usual short boy's cut. It swung down to my chin now, still sticking up at the front. "You should really cut your hair kid." Logan told Fang. His black hair now went past his waist; he had at least three elastics spaced out to keep it under control. Fang pushed his shaggy wildly long bangs out of his face still stuffing himself. "You do look like a ragamuffin." Fey pointed out and Fang ignored her.

"Looks like we're having stuffed turkey for dinner." Logan said. Fang ruffled his feathers making himself look bigger, a deep growl coming from the back of his throat. My wings were much like Fang's wings, just a little sleeker and had a brighter sheen than his. Fang kept his wings out now, finding that he could make himself more intimidating with them and a growl.

"Dang this kid's gettin' creepy as hell. He looks like a demon when he does that." Logan commented as Fang finished his food. "Does Second Branch have a yard?" I asked. "Yes but they'd kill me if I brought you there. That is one thing this girl can't do." Fey answered. She still didn't know her name I gave her, though I knew very well that Fey was just a repeat of me after reading CL's book. So it was just a matter of time until we got out of here. When Fang finished his food he instantly reached for CL's book.

Fang was reading it too now, it seemed like a disease to read CL's book. "I'm seeing Ig. Try not to shred anything while I'm gone, Kiba." I told Fang getting up. I found that sometimes he'd fall asleep on the bed when I left then shred it from a nightmare or a dream. Although it was different dreams, he hadn't had another dream of killing his friends since that night just before the 25th. Fang nodded though otherwise seemed completely oblivious to what I had said his eyes darting over the pages. The kid was a fast reader, engrossed with this human child that happened to be babysat by the Organization. I also think he read the book because it seemed to be CL's journal too, CL vividly describe the scenery around the Organization as they had let the kid out when CL got to be too snoopy for them.

As I had said before Iggy wasn't doing any better, he was faring much worse than Fang had been. I felt responsible for it, though my life had turned upside down so many times it turned right side up after Ride and company had moved to Branklin.

Was it really their fault, or would this have happened if they hadn't come? Well more likely that everyone would be dead except for me. I didn't even know what happened to the others –or Blaze for that matter. I found Fang was probably speaking more than he would to anyone else, hopefully Ride wouldn't kill me afterwards. "Why aren't they dead yet?" I asked Fey. It seemed odd to me Iggy and Fang were still alive. "Father hasn't come in for Inventory yet. He won't 'step foot' into Second Branch unless it's for Inventory. Once Father's done checking everything out he'll probably see what's going on with these two..." Fey eyes checked Iggy over before she heaved a sigh. "But Shadows... Iggy might... not make it to then..." Fey said her eyes meeting mine. I was sitting on the ground next to the bars like I always did after I gave Iggy water, pressing my face against the bars staring at Iggy. I knew she was right but something told me not to give up just yet. Maybe something could happen that could save Ig's life. Though frankly I could use the Stone, it would make things much, much _easier_.

However –yes however– there was the part of getting it _out_ of Fang with one of the many rituals.

And most of these tactics were excruciatingly painful.

...

_Except one_.

...

And there was no way in the fiery pits of Hell I was going to do **'that one'**.

I sat back on my heels taking a deep breath trying to sort out the least painful methods of extracting the Blood Stone from Fang. Most of these methods though came with heavy consequences and side effects. None of which really appealed to me since they would most likely kill me. Iggy shifted slightly, the only movement he really did, mumbling that name again. "What do you think that name does?" Fey asked having heard Iggy murmuring 'Ser-enity' like he did every day. "Don't know. It means something to him though." I muttered hugging my knees.

I cringed grabbing my head as a stabbing pain threatened to split my skull open. I hadn't had a painful vision like this for months, maybe even a year.

_I was standing in one of the long rooms filled with cages standing right inside the door. Suddenly I was in front of a couple cages focusing on the three kids. The one that stood out the most was in the cage right in front of me on the floor, he was sprawled out on the bottom of his cage with a off white clammy face his breaths coming out in ragged huffs. His curly golden brown hair clung to his face and neck, his bright brown eyes just slits. In the cage next to him was another boy around his age, probably eleven or so, with short copper blond hair and large worry-filled autumn brown eyes. Both boys were quite fair, I was guessing they were brothers. The one on the floor was smaller in build than the other; I could see the blond boy had pretty sharp teeth. In the cage above the blond's cage was a boy around my age maybe even a year younger. He had this dark orange hair that went a little ways past his jaw, he had his head pressed up against the bars of his cage trying to look at the two boys underneath him. With ghost worthy white skin and dark golden eyes I wondered vaguely if he was a Twilight fan."Bryden? Yo Bryden, answer me." The blond boy pleaded, his hand shaking the other boy's shoulder. "Bryden! Come on bro open your eyes some more!" He looked frightened, his voice rising as he spoke. Orangey clutched a bar of his cage with his hand sighing. "Shawn it's no use, just leave him alone." Orangey told him calmly. I could hear Bryden's breaths becoming more dragged out, his heart slowing. His eyes slid close, his cage became silent and he didn't breathe back in. _

"_BRYDEN!"_

Someone was shaking my shoulder; I heard a voice speaking to me. "Shadows, hey you okay?" Fey asked. I was breathing heavily, sweat ran down my neck as I shuttered. "You were muttering to yourself. Are you sure you're okay?" Fey looked concerned. "Come one let's go." I got up without taking another look at Iggy as we left. When we were out of earshot of the guard on the way to the cell I asked a question I never thought would come from my mouth.

"Say that you know someone's gonna die, what would you do?" I asked. "Like if I knew someone was going to kill someone?" Fey questioned and I shrugged. Fey looked away, thinking my question over. "Before I wouldn't care. I'd never give a thought to it. Now, well, I'd try to stop it. If I knew I couldn't stop it I'd probably still try to save the person before they died. 'Course that most likely wouldn't happen." Fey said shoving her hands in her pockets. Sometimes I forgot she was younger than Angel, she was defiantly smarter than anyone her age.

I made my mind up then. I don't know the cause of Bryden's death, but I was going to save him. I'd do what I could, it was the least I could do after the life I've lead.

* * *

_its 2 am and I can't sleep  
it's been like this all week  
we lost another good man yesterday  
I close my eyes and say your name  
it's the only thing that keeps me sane  
think of you half a world away  
fight the tears  
it's hard to live like this  
lying here  
so much that I wish  
that every child would know the taste of freedom  
there are dreams still worth believing  
and just might come true in the end  
I want all these troubles far behind us, better days to come and find us  
and I just want to be in your arms again  
its 6am I need more sleep  
its been another hard long week  
the kids are wearing me all but down  
I close my eyes and say your name  
its the only thing that keeps me sane  
silence is such a lonely sound  
baby be safe, I know you've got a job to do,  
keep the faith and all the love I'm sending you  
let every child feel the taste of freedom,  
there are dreams still worth believing  
just might come true in the end  
I want all these troubles far behind us,  
better days to come and find us  
and I just wanna be in your arms again  
ohh whatever I may have to do,  
nothings gonna stop me coming back to you,  
every stolen moment washed away, yeah,  
yeah I want all these troubles far behind us,  
better days to come and find us ,  
I just wanna be in your arms again,  
I just wanna be in your arms again, again_

_**George Canyon  
In Your Arms Again**_


	25. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Can I go kill myself now? Might as well do that so my reviewers don't have the trouble of killing me. I'm hating myself! I hate to say it but I'm putting _AOM_ on hiatus (White Wing: Like it isn't already) for a couple weeks, maybe a month or two. My reasons for this are:

1) My school work is piling up and I'm starting to fail in two of my classes, I won't hear the end of it from my parents if that happens

2) I found out just how outta shape I am, I need to start up my Wii Active again to get in shape

3) I'm having terrible Writer's Block and it'd torture you to have bits and pieces missing in the chapters

4) My room needs work, I need to work on getting myself out of the pig lifestyle

Once again I'm sorry my faithful reviewers (White Wing: take out 'faithful' no one reviewed on the last chapter), hopefully this is only temporary!

**Go ahead, review your swears and anger to me, I deserve it. **


	26. What Did You Just Say?

**Assassination of Memories  
Chapter XXIII – What Did You Just Say?**

Yaaaay! I actually got a chapter through my plan to rehabilitate myself! So I got my repost card, crap I'm failing in Humanities and my parents will freak if they find out. Canada finally got a gold medal on home turf here in Vancouver! Yay, so excited, I'm bouncing off the walls, I'm high on Starbucks! WHOOPIE!!! And my mp3 player died after a good year's use, now I have to save for an iPod nano. I just want the cheapest iPod with a screen and I have to save for three months before I can get it! Damn, damn, damn! Anyway here's the chapter, the others will be coming out very slowly warn you. Oh and the chapter name, couldn't think of anything better. If you can come up with a new name I might change it

_Thinking  
'Any voice in the head'  
_"Speaking"_  
"Speaking through looks"_

**Shadows' POV**_**  
A FEW DAYS LATER**_

Fang blinked, a hand on his bleeding neck. "That's it?" he said spitting out some blood. I noticed that he had gotten back into his normal routine, speaking a maximum of four words at a time. I spat too, trying to get rid of the disgusting taste of blood in my mouth. Metallic, slightly salty, I hated it. How did Neo live off this stuff?

"No." I stated bluntly. I opened my mouth to say more when there was a stabbing pain in my chest. I doubled over onto my hands and knees, another stabbing blow coming with the next pound of my heart. Fang also doubled over, slamming himself into the wall as his own beating heart brought his pain. The next beat sent me down onto my arms, my knees collapsing underneath me. I couldn't breathe past the pain; Fang was clutching his chest where his heart continued to torture him.

_Damn... I hadn't.... thought it'd be this... painful._

I did all I could to stop from rolling into a pathetic ball of pain, my hands clutched in fists so tightly my hands were hurting and my nails drew more blood. With every beat I gagged, trying to suck in more air though that didn't work. Fang was coughing while he tried to keep himself on his feet. _Make it....... STOP! _I yelled in my head. As if by magic the pain began to dull and I was coughing, sucking the breath back into my lungs. Fang was leaning over, his hands on his knees as he hacked away, sounding like he was going to be sick. "Ki-ba" I said between coughs as I saw Fang's face. It looked like he was choking, holding his throat as he collapsed to the ground. I scampered over top him giving Fang a hard whack on the back between his wings and he coughed something up. I heard the tinking noise bounce off the walls as it skittered across the floor stopping a few feet away. I looked up over Fang's back as he continued to cough, my eyes lying on the little shard that had come out of Fang.

I got up, going over to it cautiously. It was sharp at both ends, a deep blood red shard the size of half of my little finger that had a blackened tint. I crouched down to pick it up when I stopped. My hand, inches away from it, I could feel it _pulsing_.

Should I pick it up? With my bare hand at that? Or can Fang only pick it up? All I know about the Blood Stone is from legends; there had never been solid information about it.

Shaking all doubt away I gently picked up the Stone, feeling it pulsing in my hand. Okay, that was weird, even for my life. I walked over to Fang, holding my hand out that had the Stone in it for him to see. He stared at it, coughing slightly, and I realized I could see every emotion on his face and in his eyes. He was an open book, his face asking the question.

"_Had that thing come out of me?" _

Fang met my eyes and I knew he too could see through my mask that hid my emotions. It was so easy to give him a look that asked if he was okay and he nodded. _"What happened?"_ his face asked. "_I don't know completely myself."_ I answered back with a look. This might creep people out, two emotionless people staring at each other like they were having a conversation. _"I didn't know you had so much emotion."_ The corner of my mouth twitched with my remark. _"Same to you."_ Fang countered back, his eyes holding most of his emotion. "What does that do?" Fang asked with his voice this time, nodding his head to the Stone. "The one who is wearing it has 'unlimited' blood. What happens is that the Stone recreates blood so the blood supply is always the same when the Stone was put on. It really speeds up the process of generating blood cells, so even if you're bleeding to death, if you put the Stone on in the form of a necklace or a bracelet or a headdress even you'll bleed but you won't die. Dead Ones, what you know of as vampires, usually use it as a torture method. If you fight against a Dead One feeding on you it is incredibly painful, most people if not in a trance or asleep will fight against it which brings them into pain. Putting the Stone on them means that the Dead One can feed for as long as it pleases." I explained.

I touched my neck where it was bleeding, though it already healing so my own blood dotted my finger. I smeared my own blood onto the Stone; the reaction was a bright flash of dark red. Fang raised an eyebrow looking confused. "I need a bit of your blood. If we do this, no one else can touch the Stone." I told him in a blunt matter. If a Dead One picked up the scent of the Stone while it was on Iggy could easily feed on the dying boy if we didn't do this. _"What about Ig?" _Fang's dark eyes asked.

"_Don't worry." _

Fang looked doubtful but held out his hand that he had used to hold his neck where it was bleeding. I got some of his blood on my finger, smearing it on the Stone getting the same reaction from it. I could still see the sceptical look in Fang's eyes, and somewhat impressed into his slight frown. It was strange to see his emotions, even stranger when he looked up at me and could see my own. We both felt the same thing, exposed, our expressions no longer hidden.

The door opened up at Fey came in with Logan following. I had a feeling she was his commander, the way he followed her around yet seemed doubtful of her actions.

_Dogs don't go against their masters,_ I thought as Fey led me to Iggy's cell, _their loyalty makes them silent when their masters commit forbidden actions. They don't question it; though go along with it when they know it's wrong._

Then what did Fey do? She knew that her master's, Father's, actions were wrong, did she just go along with them? Of course she did, that was how it worked. You didn't question your loyalty, it could just mean death. When I was at Iggy's cell I did the same thing to the Stone with his own blood, taking some twine that I had grabbed off the table and a paper clip sitting down beside Iggy to work. I still wasn't at my best standard, when Fey had skewered me I had lost a lot of blood so I still didn't have some strength. So trying to trap the Stone in a bent paper clip cage was easier said than done, my hands just not wanting to respond correctly. After quite some labour I finally got the Stone trapped, treading the twine so it became a necklace. Though when I tried to put it around Iggy's neck there was too much twine and I ended up with long hanging pieces. So just for the heck of simplicity sake I looped the twine around his neck twice so it hung at a reasonable length and hand no long pieces. After I had finished I went up to the door to slam my fist on it to tell the guard I wanted Fey. Just as my fist connected with the door it opened, instead I slammed my fist down on chest.

"She's busy." Logan said as we walked away without me having to ask. "Taking an assessment or something like that..." he actually kept talking to my dismay as we walked slowly back. I lifted my head up when I smelt something coming from down the hall.

The same smell of a person who lived with birds.

I didn't recognize the smell other than that factor, and I slowed to a stop when we went past it. Logan kept going, unaware that I had stopped, still nattering on. I took a couple steps backwards without turning, slipping into a room with swinging double doors.

I tensed; when I just _happen_ to slip into the hall/room that has the smell of two avian hybrids in it something has to be up. I turned slowly, walking quietly down the aisle the cages made looking into each one searching for the dying boy.

His name was Bryden right? And then his brother, Shawn. And then Orangey who I didn't learn the name off. I heard shuffling in the cages just a bit of ahead and saw an orange head pressed up against the bars of a cage. He didn't see me; he was trying to look down into Shawn's cage.

"You okay? You looked pretty banged up when you came in." Orangey said quietly. I could smell blood guessing it was Shawn's. "Yeah kind of. My head's bleeding a little but it's no biggie... They still haven't brought him back, I'm worried." Shawn answered back in a whisper. So Bryden wasn't dead yet. By the way Shawn was talking it didn't sound like his brother had died.

"H'm.... Wait, shh. Someone's coming." Orangey said and his orange hair disappeared from the bars.

I walked up, my boots barely making a sound and almost walked past the two. The smells of different subjects were screwing with my nose and I had to jerkily halt to stop in front of their cages. Shawn glared up at me before glancing at the cage above him slightly, the side of his head was bleeding a little; the cage Orangey was in was empty. But I could smell him and hear him; Orangey was trying to quiet his breathing. I just stared into his cage where I could hear him, waiting. He appeared suddenly, pushed against the back of his cage, his dark golden eyes narrowed at me. I don't know how long I stood there, looking back and forth from them. Where was Bryden? More importantly, were they bringing him back?

I knew from experience that what I saw in the future wasn't always what was going to happen. It could change very, very easily. I turned around where I the scent of many Whitecoats and Copies went to, seeing a large touch pad and a container with sets of keys in it. I went over to the touch pad that glowed dimly blue, touching it cautiously. The screen became brighter and asked for a password.

Hmm, I stretched towards the future like I was fast-forwarding a recording. Soon I came upon a Whitecoat I recognised. Dr. Millstone punched in his password making me smirk. Idiot.

I came back to reality pressing in **1234**.

_**Welcome Antonio Millstone **_the screen said before the menu popped up. And guys I'm not kidding when I say this was the actual list:

**Menu**  
Grab Keys _(Shadows: this sounds like a video game)_  
**Put Back Your Keys** _(I'm gonna say that there was a problem with Whitecoats keeping the keys, just a guess)_  
Code Red Emergan _(Either there was a glitch in the system or someone **really** needs spell check)_  
Take Out History _(hey I didn't know Second Branch was a take-out restaurant)  
_Back Up Plan _(no comment)_  
Operator _(now I was so damn curious about this one I almost tapped it, curiosity killed the cat is what I always say)_

I gave _Take Out History_ a tap, getting asked for another freaking password. Um..... I tapped my finger on the wall next to the pad thinking. I doubt he'd use the same password twice and since it said 'Number of Views: 0' in the corner of the screen I'm going to guess that this password would be more personal. I just went out on a limb and typed _Angelina Jolie_ in just for fun and the Take Out History popped up.

I collapsed to the ground and actually started to burst out laughing which is _really_ un-Shadows like. I don't know why I started laughing, all I know is that it was pathetic that I got the password just because I making a joke. It was too much, I was laughing so hard I think I re-opened my wound.

Behind me, Shawn and Orangey were looking at me strangely. I think Orangey muttered something like "where have I seen that before?" but I couldn't be sure over my laughing. After I got over my laughing fit I wiped my watering eyes, checking for Bryden's cage number, **345**. I scrolled down the list to find it; he had been taken out at least two hours ago and would be back by...

I looked down at my watch and realized what time it was. The swinging doors burst open, six Copies strolling in, one of them carrying a sick looking Bryden. He looked even worse than when I saw him die which made my blood boil. These bastards, he was just a kid, how could they!? "Well, well, well. Look what the _cat _dragged in." The Copy holding Bryden sneered putting much emphasis on _cat_. The others laughed at his stupid joke, flashing smiles with sharp white teeth. "Haven't seen you around First or Second Branch for a while, _kid_. How's it been going on the outside world controlled by pathetic lowlifes?" Copy 1 chuckled. So the bastard Father thought they were controlling me, he had submersed himself into his own lie so he wouldn't believe I left on my own. If he kept talking, I was going to kill him.

No, screw it, I'll kill him anyway. "Let him go." I snarled locking my eyes on Bryden. "You think you can order me around? You're lower than a human slave now _Panther Shadows_, you have no control over me." The Copy said mockingly. I was shaking in rage, everything logical blown over the top of me head. "Let. Him. Go. _**NOW**_." I snarled, ice in my voice. My eyes hardened as did my mask, I clenching my hand like I was gripping something tightly.

The Copy next to the one that was mocking me began to cough, grabbing his throat as he slowly doubled over. Everyone was staring at him but me, I finally snapped my hand into a fist and his neck snapped and he collapsed to the ground. "Bastard!" One of the Copies growled whipping out two guns. They ripped away from his hands and flew into mine, both guns firing hitting the target between the eyes. With a few more shots they were down but the one holding Bryden. His eyes widened as he looked around, when he looked back to me I was right at him pulling the trigger under his chin. The crackle of a gun's thunder split the air and he flew backwards, releasing Bryden. I caught the boy in my arms, his dull eyes staring blankly up at me. I spun, feeling stiff from my wound pulling the trigger of the gun in my left hand. I was strongest in my left though I wrote with my right and did much of everything else with that hand, I could shoot with both hands with excellent precision. The locks shattered, the doors of Shawn's and Orangey's cage swung open.

They both seemed confused yet followed me towards where Fang was. _Just like old times._I thought shooting any Copy in my way. "Shadows what are you doing?" Fey cried as I came to the cell. Logan launched himself at me and I slammed the bottom of the grip across Logan's face, knocking him unconscious and into the wall. "Open the door." I ordered coldly. Old Shadows was back, watch out. Fey did so and Fang was standing there, fists jammed in his pockets. "Fang?" Orangey said his jaw dropping. "Angelo." Fang said calmly looking at Orangey. Then he looked at me, into my eyes that were now as hard as stone.

"Whatcha up to, _sis_?" He said raising an eyebrow. "Sis?!" Orangey and Shawn said in disbelief at the same time. I didn't say anything, turning on my heel and ran towards Iggy's cell.


	27. Don't blame the reviewers if they killme

_Please, _please _don't kill me. I know I haven't updated_ any _of my stories in a period of at least three months. And I know there's probably tons of reviewers that are now trying to find where I live to give me a piece of their mind for putting up an author's note. I blame someone __***glares at author with man and 15 in his penname***__ for the delay on the next AOM chapter, TWIF on the other hand I blame on Writer's Block_

White Wing: Sure, and Writer's Block has another name. Procrastination!

_Shut up before I drop something heavy from Star Wars on you_

White Wing: Someone's sure PMSing

_Why is it I'm stuck with you of all people? Where's Jake?_

White Wing: What want your Twilight werewolf for comfort?

_I'm going to pretend you didn't mention Twilight right now so I don't get another mob of Twihards after me. Anywho I'm here because... well it's an advertisement for another fanfic_

White Wing: Again... ***sigh***

_I'm going to ignore you now. So the fanfic I'm coming up with is, well, more heavily based on my life_

White Wing: That will be torture

_The main character is going to be more focused on myself, but not the Akiko you know from my other fanfics. I actually have no name for my character yet, if you go on my profile you can vote on a name for my character_

White Wing: ***looking at poll*** Hey why isn't my name here!?

_Because no one names their child White Wing unless they really hate them. Like seriously, who names their kid White Wing... or Sterling for that matter? _

White Wing: (sarcastically) Yeah, I wonder....

_***growl/groan* **__Also the book title on the poll might not be the one for the fanfic; I also need ideas for the story's name. Yes Pyro I'm actually looking for help for a title name so don't rub it in. The main "plot" (notice the wonderful quotation marks enclosing plot) is that I get thrown into the MR world. Yes I do know that it's been done a bunch of times but I want to bring this story down to earth. I've read a lot of good stories about authors being thrown into the MR world and they're awesome and well written and all but my main problem is the story isn't... well.... believable. Seriously if an Eraser starts morphing in front of you or is about to attack you I don't care if it's a character, if the character isn't use to Erasers or is a human, they're not going to start fighting the damn Eraser. Their either going to scream or turn they're butt the other way and, uh what's that word I'm looking for, oh yeah, **RUN**. Yeah sure, a human's never going to be able to outrun an Eraser unless a miracle happens (or a bird-kid just happens to be passing by at that moment) but a person isn't going to stick around to find out what happens. Believe me, If an Eraser appeared in front of me I don't care if it's genetically enhanced; I'm running to the nearest building with people who know how to shoot something. Okay maybe not with that plan in mind but you understand what I'm saying_

White Wing: Jeez when you're really into something you don't like you could rant for hours

_Oh hell I could go on about the Crusade too_

White Wing: Let's just spare their eyes and not go onto that topic

_For once I'm gonna agree. So that's basically what I'm doing. And I'm sorry to those who were reading _White Snow Fire_ and _This Is The Reason You DON'T Upset God_ but I just couldn't keep going with those. Especially to you DE, my most faithful reviewer who thought _White Snow Fire_ was going to be bigger than DA and AOM. If you want I'll send you the chapters for WSF that are finished if you want write on it during your spare time. I want to thank all of you who have put up with me and are still reading. I don't blame you if you are just fed up and stop, trust me I would too. I'll try my best to catch up on AOM once I get the chapter back. But for now..._

_Hang on and endure a little longer,  
^^Akiko~_


	28. Rogues, Newborns and Halflings

**Assassination of Memories  
Chapter XXV – Rogues, Newborns and Halflings**

**Fang's POV**

I had never seen Shadows so determined. Her eyes were set straight in front of her, cold and hard, a mask of emotion I now couldn't see pass on her face. She was carrying a boy I remembered to be Bryden; the Flock had just met him, the other boy named Shawn and the girl Livia after they had escaped the Organization and hadn't really seen them since. We just came to know their faces, and just barely their names. I could feel the questions radiating off of Angelo at the comment I had made, his bewilderment whirling around him in an aura almost.

Despite Shadows' injury she was at the front of the group that consisted of all of us and 88697-O2, while carrying Bryden at the same time. That is what I call one tough determined girl.

In a few strides I was beside Shadows giving her a sideways glance. If she noticed me (which I knew Shadows did) she didn't give the impression that she did, still staring ahead with narrowed eyes behind her aviators, shooting down any Eraser coming at us. That narrow look reminded me of Max, the deadly determination was quite the same too. Though I could notice things now that I hadn't seen before, Shadows was moving stiffly, though it would be difficult for anyone else to notice. Her wound had reopened and swinging herself around, running and carrying the kid was taking its toll on her.

So I came over and took Bryden out of her arms.

Shadows growled deeply momentarily, an easily comprehended protest. Anger rolled off of her in violent waves, her intention to murder in her snarl. If by now you haven't figured out that Shadows was pissed for some reason I'd reread the last couple of sentences again if I were you. But I'm not so maybe you won't. I didn't even have to give her a look; Shadows knew I was trying to take it off her strain even though she had long ago pushed herself to the limit. Nevertheless she pushed herself on even father.

I don't know what it was but a smell that hit me like a freaking wall made me instantly sick yet more energetic at the same time. Maybe it was like a high or something, I felt like I could do _anything_. Like save the world all by myself. Shadows wrinkled her nose, something flashing in her eyes that I knew was disgust. Or maybe just the thought of revolted intention.

We came to a door and I swear the smell got worse; I was just trying to keep down my stomach as Shadows blasted the lock and gave a high kick to the door. The air came rushing at me rooting me in place, as Shadows lunged at the bars giving the three locks a piece of her mind with the gun she had. Iggy was in a pile in the corner, cover with blood. I felt my blood boil, adrenaline rushing through my veins making me feel even sicker. I bottled it, knowing I couldn't explode now. Angelo's eyes widened as he entered, his jaw dropping to the ground. "Is that... it can't be Iggy." He breathed beside me.

I couldn't move, I couldn't speak, all I could do was try my best not to break a few of Bryden's bones under my grip.

_Who did this to Iggy?_

I better not find out, because they were dead once I did. No one hurt the Flock while me and Max were alive.

"You can't seriously be thinking of moving him." 88697-O2 said fiercely, "You could kill him if you do." Shawn was looking from the five year old to Shadows to Iggy and back again, like he was trying to figure out what to do. "Wait, Bryden." Angelo said turning towards me. That's right, Bryden could heal or something like that. "Kiba." Shadows said bluntly and it was like I figured out how to walk again, practically sprinting the six feet between us. Of course the instant I came up beside Shadows I realized that Bryden was unconscious. Real smooth Fang. Shadows reached up from her crouched position beside Iggy, grabbing Bryden's wrist and placing his hand on Ig's head. There was a dim white glow and a faint clicking of joints being put back in place and a hissing pop of bones fixing themselves. Not exactly the most pleasant sound to hear, it surfaced a bad memory too. "No way! He's out cold." Shawn breathed his jaw dropping. The thing is Shadows didn't know that Bryden could heal. So how had she known that Bryden could heal while he was unconscious when his own _twin brother_ didn't know? The glow died down and the two boys held their breath, waiting. Bryden had tried to heal Eve after she was shot while they escaping but it hadn't worked. He hadn't been able to save her.

Ig stirred and Angelo looked like he was about to collapse. "Wha?" Ig said hoarsely, putting a hand on his head. Shadows put his left arm across her shoulder and wrapped her right around him heaving Iggy to his feet. The five year old assassin was standing at the door, her eyes wide, with unconscious Erasers surrounding her. "That's–... that's impossible." 88697-O2 breathed in disbelief as Shadows shot past her and we took off again.

The same thing happened to Angelo when he took Iggy away from Shadows a couple minutes later; she growled angrily yet gave him up. She was moving stiffly, trying to hide –or maybe ignore– the pain that flashed in her eyes. Damn if she wasn't careful she might pass out. "Where are all the Erasers? Wouldn't they have found us by now?" Shawn asked, just a little bit behind Angelo who had fallen slightly behind. "Wait here, I'll go up ahead and check." 88697-O2 said, no more like ordered, running ahead of us.

"Fey don't!" Shadows yelled. The girl turned just as she was turning the corner.

There was a high pitched scream and a heavy _**THUD**_.

We rounded the corner to see the one Shadows called Fey lying on the ground with a hole in her chest, her open eyes wide and lifeless. The look on her face was the most chilling, like she had seen the most horrifying thing in her life. Shadows didn't give "Fey" a glance, hunching her shoulders and kicking the speed up a notch. Right now I couldn't take pity on Bryden; the way I was holding him was awkward and made running difficult, so I flung him over my shoulder and pounded after Shadows.

There was a door at the end of the hallway and Shadows rushed at it, giving it a high kick that really made me want to whack Shadows upside the head for being so incredibly stupid. Though right now I wasn't in a position to complain, she was pissed, ready to murder and had a gun. I haven't known Shadows that long but I know that's a really bad combination.

The moment the door was out of the way Shadows started firing off that gun, like all the Erasers in the yard filled with moonlight were to blame for the dead girl down the hall. That would be all fifty-seven Erasers down in less than eight seconds, a Flock record by any standards. Shadows ran a few feet and flung herself into the air, snapping out a pair of midnight black wings. There was a flash of a girl huddled into herself, with a cat tail wrapped around her body and her cat ears folded back against her head on Shadows' left wing for a second before she beat her wings down to gain height. Despite this new surprising information about Shadows I followed her lead, shooting into the sky with Shawn on my tail. It took Angelo a little more time to get into the air though soon we were all streamlining away from Second Branch. I was still learning about Shadows, the person she was was more of a confused mess then anything. Then there was that thing about Bryden. Suddenly she just latched onto him.

However no matter how many times I said her name she wasn't listening, I needed to get her attention. Finally I lost it and called her the name she had told me not to.

"Kayala."

She stopped and spun around, fire filling her eyes behind her glasses. I stopped too, with Angelo behind me looking a little confused, Iggy slumped on his back. I know she hated that name I had squeezed out of her when she told me what mine was about, and had warned me many times if I ever used it "You might not live to see the next moon". Those were her exact words.

Shawn glanced at me then at Shadows, slowly backing off.

I gave her a look to ask what was wrong, getting angry narrowed eyes back. The gun she had was clenched in her hand, a finger stiffly poised at the trigger. Believe me when I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Shadows' eyes looked confused... hurt. Her jaw set tightly as if she was trying to hold back a flow of bitter words or even a scream of frustration. With another second of her fiery gaze Shadows quickly turned mid-flap and shot off, quickly disappearing into the darkness. "Shadows!" Angelo cried going off after her, followed by me and a confused to all hell Shawn. Soon enough though Angelo lost track of Shadows in the darkness, I on the other hand knew exactly where she was. I took lead finding no difficulty flying with Bryden hanging precariously over my shoulder.

"Fang what the hell is going on here!" Angelo yelled over the howling wind. I tore my eyes away from the darkness Shadows disappeared into to glance at Angelo. Since I had last seen Angelo he seemed to have grown much older than he was, along with acquiring a scar that went across his right eye and eyebrow. Right now I had no time to wonder where that came from and how the hell he had kept his hair orange. Shadows was much more important.

At this rate we couldn't lose Shadows, the last thing we needed was for her to go back to the Organization. She was having her own doubts on why she left the Organization in the first place; she had told me the story. 'Don't act stupid, don't act stupid.' I thought hoping in some of the weird conditions that she would get that urge.

Angling myself down I shot into a steep dive into the trees, Angelo following after me with an annoyed cry of protest. It seemed that Angelo hated not getting answers when he knew there were some. Landing roughly on a thick branch of an oak tree I took Bryden off my shoulder leaning him against the trunk. He had regained consciousness and was lightly holding onto a branch near his head as if to stop him from falling.

"Why are we stopping we're too close to the–" Angelo's protest was cut off by a gun shot. The bullet just barely missed him, a few strands of orange hair floated towards the ground. Through the break of leaves I could see Shadows sprawled clumsily against the base of a tree, gun pointed in Angelo's direction, her bangs falling over her glasses. The fire in her eyes was as intense as ever fury readable on her face. "Ahhhhh..." Angelo made a sound as if he was trying to speak with a tight throat. It was clear Angelo knew what Shadows was capable of, the way he stayed frozen where he was to not have her shoot again told me that much. But if Angelo knew about Shadows shooting at him wasn't going to make him trust her. "Kayala–" I said under my breath. I moved my head just far enough over the bullet didn't hit me. She really didn't like that name.

"Call me that again and I won't miss." Shadows growled.

"What the hell are we doing, we can't stop so close to Second Branch! And if you keep freaking shooting at us they're gonna come straight here!" Angelo cried out in frustration. I have to admit it looked funny when his face was the only thing changing while he stayed frozen crouching on the branch, hands white knuckle tight around the bark. With a growling sigh Shadows lowered her gun. I think she was being moody because she was confused and we had left her own gun at Second Branch. The one Shadows had in her hand wasn't the elaborate black polish sheen one she usually had. "Jeez hissy fit." Owen muttered. Of course the moment things were resolved they just got worse. The smell hit me like a runaway freight train, familiar yet disgusting at the same time. It was moving quickly towards us from behind Shadows. She jumped up; whirling around to face whatever was coming at us.

"Get out of my territory."

Oh shit.

A rogue-

* * *

**Shadows' POV**

_Werewolf._

Ironically enough he was calling something he hadn't yet marked. This wasn't his territory he was just saying that. Definitely a rogue werewolf though, they're the only werewolves that have bright red blood shot eyes. This one was just on the verge of going to psychopath-land. It looked like he hadn't had any sleep at all with dark rings under his bright eyes, his hollow face an unnatural grey brown colour and his bristle grey blond hair falling out in patches. A very, _very _sick rogue werewolf. Good thing I've had my rabies shots.

"Get out of my territory. _You're_ kind aren't allowed here." He growled fiercely his eyes shooting up to the guys in the trees, locking on Iggy. "And get that _**thing**_ out of here! Are you trying to attract all the leaches from this area?" I guess he knew about the experiments and by the sounds of things he didn't like them. Being what I was wasn't going to help us get calmly out of this situation. I was about to speak when the werewolf howled in rage, charging at me with a maddened glare in his eyes. I swiftly jumped out of the way.

I found he was being clumsily when he suddenly morphed and lunged at me from close range getting his teeth around my neck. Typical behaviour from a rogue, break your opponent's neck. Thing is I wasn't that stupid. I rammed my elbow hard into his rib cage, a few bones helplessly gave way. For safety sake (because having your neck in the jaws of a rogue werewolf was safe enough) I slammed my fist against one of his eyes. With a yowl the werewolf released my neck backing up a couple steps. He definitely had his experience fighting before because he barely gave me enough time to turn around before he attacked again. All I saw was a flash of molting grey-brown before he latched onto my arm tugging like a enraged Rottweiler. A jab to his bright red eye with my fingers made him let go, stumbling back as his whole left eye turned red with blood.

I finally got a shot glimpse of my attacker. He looked even worse as a wolf. He was huge to begin with, but with the least amount of meat I've ever seen on a werewolf. His fur was in falling out patches all over his hollow body. I could easily see his ribs and any other bones sticking out and his back sagged in the middle. I was surprised how well this werewolf was fighting in his condition much less living. Then again rogue werewolves will always be a mystery. I was braced for another attack when Fang jumped down from his branch, sprinting straight at the werewolf, fury all over his face. "Kiba you idiot!" I screamed just in time for the idiot to attack the werewolf. But Fang was gone; replacing him was a dark pitch black wolf with brown highlights and dark eyes with gold flecks in them. That idiot didn't understand that no _newborn werewolf_ could take on an adult rogue werewolf.

Fang latched onto the neck of the werewolf just as the werewolf had done to me, but definitely wasn't expecting for the wolf to twist his neck around and bite Fang's neck. With a howl Fang let go but the werewolf was set on the kill. It took a hard down kick on the rogue's head to make the werewolf open his jaws wide enough for Fang to rip himself away. By now there were puddles of blood popping up all over the grass; next to none of the bloodshed was the rogue's blood. I did my best blinding the werewolf with some dirt in his face to haul Fang back growling angrily in his ear. "Idiot how could you be so careless!" I got an eager growl back. Of course the thrill of a fight was dominant in a newborns mind even if Fang knew he couldn't take this werewolf down. That's when I looked in his eyes and realized that Fang thought all werewolves were equal in power. Oh fantastic...

I roughly shoved Fang out of the way as the werewolf came at us again. Apparently I wasn't on his main course seeing as he instantly lunged at Fang, teeth tearing into Fang's back. Even on a werewolf that was going to leave a mark. Any other time I would have attacked back regularly. Any other werewolf I'd fight like usual. But when Fang's pain-filled howl hit my ears something inside just snapped. Maybe that was the downfall to being Lupesangs, the need to protect each other. I couldn't help it, the rage and confusion took over and the very bottle I longed to keep shut violently burst open.

The change was quick, the adrenaline made it so I couldn't feel any pain from all my bones breaking at once and reforming, my muscles ripping forming over my new structure. My clothes were in rags within seconds bright white fur taking their place. I dropped down on all fours, my lips pulling over long lethal canines as I growled at the werewolf with Fang in its jaws. I lunged forward, swiping my large paw the size of a man's chest with sword like claws across the werewolf's muzzle. Compared to me the werewolf was pup size and Fang, who was pretty large for a werewolf himself, like a abnormally large pup. My size panicked the werewolf enough that he took a few steps back. But rogues think they can take on anything no matter the size. He jumped, claws sticking into my side, and jaw into my back. It still hurt like hell, but he was more than in pain when I grabbed him with my own jaws that crushed his rib cage. I flung him off into a tree where he collapsed into a lifeless pile.

Fang was on his side, panting hoarsely, lying in a small puddle of his own blood. I padded over to him, my eyes narrowing at his. Fang's ears laid against his head, his eyes half closing. He knew he had acted carelessly, and he knew I was pissed at him; my bright violet eyes filled with fire was a dead giveaway. My glasses and the remains of my clothes were off near the base of the tree where I morphed; up in the trees above Orangey, Bryden and Shawn were looking at us in utter disbelief.

I guess I forgot to mention to everyone that I was a half werewolf. Except Fang because I'm the one that transformed him into one.

* * *

Holy freaking crap, after almost half a year hiatus I've _**FINALLY**_ gotten another chapter of _AOM_ up! And I completely _**HATED**_ this chapter to begin with! I'm surprised I'm not typing in capitals right now too... I'm terribly sorry for the long wait, I lost the chapter when I wanted to add someone's character in and we had problems. I was trying to create alternate versions to adapt to what I was going to get but I never got the chapter back and I lost my original version in all the alternates. So I had to re-plan this whole friggin chapter from scratch. Akiko is **not** happy. So this crappy thing came out through the Writer's Block. DE was complaining that either he'd get a bunch more reviews or I'd post a new chapter so well, I did. DE I know that was a chapter or two ago that you asked for this but it's come late so Merry Christmas, Happy Birthday, whatever. Sorry I'm tired, sore an cold thus I am grumpy, gloomy and depressed. Thank Utada something-or-other's song Sanctuary from KH II for the chapter update because that song gave me just the right mood for this X3 Any way please don't expect a update soon (reviewers: BOOOOO) because I got ahead of myself and created alternates to the other chapters after this and I really only have bits of waaaaay future chapters planned out. Hoping to get something done within a month or two but no promises. So as always

Hang on and endure a little longer,  
^^Akiko~


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